The Mumbai civic body clarified that malls will continue to remain closed. (Representational)
The Mumbai civic body in Maharashtra released a revised notification today on easing of COVID-19 restrictions, clarifying that all shops in the city, except shopping malls, can now remain open till 10pm.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had on Monday issued a notification after the Maharashtra government relaxed the restrictions put in place to tackle the outbreak of coronavirus, allowing malls, gymnasiums and salons to open up.
The BMC had said that all essential and non-essentials shops can stay open till 10 pm on all days. However, it put out a clarification today saying that malls in Mumbai will continue to remain closed.
Hotels and restaurants in the city have also been allowed to operate till 4 pm on all days. Indoor and outdoor sports facilities, except swimming pools, have been given the go-ahead to open in Mumbai.
Amid a steady decline in new cases, the Maharashtra government on Monday said in most districts, gymnasiums, salons and beauty parlours can operate at 50 per cent capacity with the air-conditioning switched off. These, too, can stay open till 8 pm on weekdays and 3 pm on Saturdays. They must remain shut on Sundays, as per the order.
The relaxations will not apply to 11 districts where the caseload continues to be high. These districts are Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Pune, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Solapur, Ahmednagar, Beed, Raigad and Palghar.
In other districts, government and private offices have been allowed to operate at full capacity. The offices have been directed to implement staggered timings to avoid crowding during travel.
However, cinemas, schools and places of worship will remain closed, according to a state government notice. Restrictions imposed on birthday celebrations, and political social and cultural events will continue, the order said.
Maharashtra on Monday reported 4,869 new Covid cases and 90 deaths. Out of these, Mumbai reported 259 cases and nine fatalities, the city civic body said