Decision comes after many-fold increase in cases; newly appointed commissioners allow online deliveries to be ramped up
A man walks by closed shops in Thane West. Pic/Sameer Markande
A complete lockdown has been imposed in Thane and under the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC). While Thane will be in lockdown from July 2 to July 12, in MBMC the lockdown has been declared from July 2 to July 10. The number of cases and deaths due to COVID-19 has been increasing in the cities, and commissioners of both the municipal corporations were transferred last week.
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Both corporations have allowed home delivery of liquor, marriages with a maximum of 50 attendees, and construction work.
Markets, transport shut
In Thane, after a discussion with the police, Municipal Commissioner Dr Bipin Sharma declared complete closure of markets and transport within the city from July 2.
A resident being tested in the city. Pic/Suresh Karkera
Thane had 3,572 cases and 77 deaths on May 30 which increased to 9,644 cases and 315 deaths on June 29. The cases increased almost three fold and deaths increased four fold within a month of reopening. The decision of lockdown has been taken to curb the spread of the virus, said the official press note from the commissioner.
Grocery, chemist products will be allowed online. Home delivery of alcohol is allowed. Essential services and manufacturing units like those of medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, food processing, milk products will be allowed. While intercity transport is banned, vehicles coming from outside and going to other cities will be allowed.
Mira-Bhayandar has declared the complete lockdown as the number of patients and deaths increased by almost five folds within a month of reopening. The MBMC had a complete lockdown between April 19 and May 17 and cases were limited, but the number started increasing rapidly after the relaxation. After the continuous increase in the number of cases and deaths, the new Municipal Commissioner of MBMC, Dr Vijay Rathod, imposed the lockdown for nine days, said the press note issued by him.
Milk booths, chemists open
Transport has been shut in the twin cities too. Milk booths will be open from 5 am to 11 am and chemist shops will be allowed to operate from 9 am to 5 pm. Flour mills will be allowed to operate in the day. All other shops including those of groceries, vegetable and fish markets will be closed till June 10. Residents can order groceries, vegetables through home delivery. Liquor will be also available for home delivery.
The twin city was the first to impose complete lockdown in MMR. Residents had access to only milk booths and medical shops for limited hours. But after opposition from traders and shopkeepers, the MBMC had relaxed the lockdown from May 18. Till then the number of cases were restricted to 330 cases. As the lockdown relaxed, the number increased sharply within the next two weeks and reached 738 cases, which went up to 3,165 cases on June 29. The total number of deaths also increased from 29 to 142 in the same period.
9,644
No. of COVID-19 cases in Thane on June 29
315
No. of deaths due to COVID-19 in Thane on June 29
142
No. of deaths due to COVID-19 in MBMC on June 29
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