Maharashtra Unlock U-Turn: Minister "Announces", Chief Minister Clarifies

Last evening, Maharashtra minister Vijay Waddettiwar announced that five levels of unlocking the state had been decided on the basis of positivity rate and total oxygen beds occupancy.

Just after announcing a five-level unlock plan on Thursday, the Maharashtra government clarified that new rules to phase out Covid restrictions in place since mid-April are "still under consideration". This time, no timeline has been specified for the new plan. Last evening, Maharashtra Relief and Rehabilitation minister Vijay Waddettiwar announced that five levels of unlocking the state had been decided on the basis of positivity rate and total oxygen beds occupancy. Level 1, for example, would mean that the lockdown can be lifted completely. Level 5 is the Red Zone, meaning a complete lockdown, he explained. Mr Waddettiwar, who briefed the media after a meeting with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, also said 18 districts had been listed for Level 1, including Thane. India's financial capital Mumbai, which suffered the worst of the ferocious second surge of Covid at one point, was marked Level 2. Local trains, the city's lifeline, would not operate for now, the minister said in statements that were immediately reported across the media as the launch of Maharashtra's unlock.