Finance Minister in Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s Cabinet, Ajit Pawar, on Friday announced that petrol pumps in Pune will be operational only between 8 am and 4 pm from March 21, as a precaution of controlling the crowd amidst the coronavirus pandemic which has rocked the world, claiming 10,407 lives and infecting 253,933 people globally.
However, Pawar said that outside the city the petrol pumps will be open from 7 am to 11 pm.
Ajit Pawar also said that if the crowds don’t disperse, a decision of closing train and bus services could be taken in major cities of Maharashtra.
Earlier, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced closing of all private offices in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Mumbai and Nagpur until March 31. Making a stern statement, Uddhav told the private companies, “If work from home is not possible, shut the offices down.” However, essential services like ration shops, banks, milk and other day to day items shall be available.
Also, Maharashtra Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad announced cancellation of examinations for Classes 1 to 8. Gaikwad said, “All exams from Class 1 to 8 are cancelled, all students to be promoted to next classes without exam. She added that the examinations for Class 9 and 11 will be held after April 15.
Meanwhile, a total of 52 patients have been tested positive for coronavirus in the state, the most for any state in the country. 12 positive cases have been found in Pimpri Chinchwad, 9 in Pune, 11 in Mumbai, 4 in Nagpur, 3 each in Yawatmal, Navi Mumbai and Kalyan, 2 in Ahmednagar, 1 each in Raigad, Thane, Ulhasnagar, Aurangabad and Ratnagiri.