Maharashtra eases COVID-19 curbs further

Offline classes can resume, but institutions encouraged to leverage hybrid model

Maharashtra has announced further relaxations in COVID-19 related restrictions in category A areas with 90% or more population with at least one dose of vaccine and 70% double vaccinated.

Fourteen districts – Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban, Pune, Bhandara, Sindhudurg, Nagpur, Raigad, Wardha, Ratnagiri, Satara, Sangli, Gondia, Chandrapur and Kolhapur – fall under this category. These areas have positivity rate less than 10% and bed occupancy of oxygen-supported or ICU beds less than 40%.

The State government on Wednesday said all shopping complexes, cinema halls, restaurants, bars, sports complexes, gyms, spas, swimming pools, religious places, natyagrihas, tourist places, entertainment parks etc. are allowed to operate with 100% capacity. For other administrative units that are excluded from category A, these shall operate at 50% capacity.

While offline classes can resume in all academic institutions, they have been encouraged to leverage the hybrid model of imparting education through online and offline modes. All preschools as well as anganwadis can now be restarted physically as well.

Social, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious, political and festival-related events, including those pertaining to marriages, funerals and other gatherings and congregations, are permitted in administrative units included in category A to the extent of 50% capacity of the venue. For other regions, total attendance in such gatherings or congregations shall be limited to 50% capacity of the venue or 200, whichever is lower.

All offices, including government and private, are now allowed to function at full capacity, as are all industrial and scientific institutions.