Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday imposed Section 144 in all urban parts of the state, starting Monday, March 23, i.e, more than 5 people cannot gather together. Thackeray’s announcement comes after a 63-year-old man, with a travel history to Dubai, succumbed to the virus at a private hospital in Mumbai, taking the total death count in the state to 2. The total patients testing positive for coronavirus rose to 74 after 6 from Mumbai and 4 from Pune tested positive.
Along with the Mumbai locals, the Chief Minister also announced that State Transport buses, private buses and interstate buses will be closed. He also said that no flights outside of India will be allowed to land in Mumbai.
The percentage of employees working in government offices has been brought down to five per cent from 25 per cent, said Thackeray. Only the people discharging essential duties will be allowed to use public transport till March 31.
However, Uddhav said that grocery shops, vegetable shops, banks, dairies, electricity offices and stock exchange will remain open during this period. He added that temples, masjids, gurudwaras and other religious places should also remain closed.
The Chief Minister said that the state has entered into a very sensitive & important phase of the pandemic. “It is the third week and we have seen what has happened in other countries,” he said.
He urged the citizens of the state to remain patient as they have showed it on the day of Janta Curfew.
Earlier, the Indian Railways announced the closure of all passenger train services including Premium trains, Mail/Express trains, Passenger trains, Suburban Trains, Kolkata Metro Rail, Konkan Railway and others.