As daily infections in Maharashtra are on the rise, new restrictions, including partial lockdown in Mumbai, can not be ruled out, minister Aslam Shaikh said.
"In Mumbai, cases are a bit higher. The Chief Minister has instructed all administration officers to take a decision on whatever is necessary; be it imposing a partial lockdown, increasing testing, or go for a complete lockdown," Shaikh said.
All districts of Maharashtra are seeing an uptick in the number of daily infections since mid-February. Starting from the Vidarbha region, the spike has spread to Marathwada and now Mumbai, as well. For the last six days, Mumbai has been reporting over 1,000 new cases daily.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, at this moment, is concentrating more on tightening surveillance. Residential buildings with more than five active Covid-19 patients are being sealed; nightclubs, wedding venues are on the radar; marshals are penalizing people found without masks or flouting Covid-19 norms.
But if these measures fail, then sea beaches, the Gateway of India might have to be shut. Night clubs might also be closed down as several of them have been found violating social distancing norms in the last few days. As far as people's movement is concerned, the decision rests with the local authority, the minister said.
Authorities were also mulling whether to bring back restrictions on Mumbai local trains, which expanded its services since February 1, just before the spike was noticed. No decision has been taken in this regard.
