After extending timings of shops and restaurants as well as the reopening of cinema halls and theatres under specified SOPs from October 22, in view of the festive cheer, the Maharashtra government has allowed restaurants and eateries to remain open till 12AM and shops and establishments to function till 11PM in Mumbai with immediate effect.

Earlier these were allowed to operate till 10PM.    

However, local DDMA may restrict these timings further if deemed fit due to any local requirements but shall not relax it further without consent of SDMA.

The government also allowed reopening of amusement parks. However, water rides at amusement parks have not been allowed.   

After several rounds of meetings, involving chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and the Covid Task Force on Monday, the government had announced reopening of cinema halls and theatres and also extended timings of shops and restaurants from Friday.

After meeting representatives of the cinema owners and exhibitors association, Thackeray instructed that theatres and cinema halls should start with proper fire and structural safety checks.

Cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes are allowed to open with staggered timings between shows with 50% capacity with specified gaps between seats to be occupied. Thermal screening of staff and visitors should be carried at entry points and only asymptomatic individuals to be allowed inside premises. Crowd management and physical distancing will have to be maintained in lifts, parking lots and inside halls. Contact numbers will be taken at the time of booking for contact tracing and digital transactions should be preferred mode of payments, premises have to be sanitized after every screening with CAB followed by all employees and staff as well as audience.

Arogya Setu app must be installed and updated by all employees and all staff including at food courts should be fully vaccinated with 14 days gaps since the last dose of vaccine. AC temperature has to be set between 24 degrees C and 30 degrees C with adequate cross-ventilation. No food and beverage to be allowed inside screening auditoriums. Do’s and Don’ts and CAB awareness is to be communicated at all access points.

For theatre and stage, besides the above, only designated persons will open curtains and backstage property. Daily fumigation of all set and green rooms will need to be done. No guests to be allowed on stage or in green rooms. Artists should preferably carry their own make-up kits and make-up artist to follow proper CAB.

Schools from class VIII to Class XII reopened recently and starting Wednesday colleges are also reopening. Places of worship too have been opened subject to given SOPs and access to local train services are also allowed for fully vaccinated individuals and the under-18 age group.

Thackeray has also instructed the public health department to coordinate with the centre on the availability of vaccines for children and asked them to prepare a plan for inoculating children once it is approved by the centre.

As the second wave ebbs, on Sunday Mumbai recorded zero Covid deaths for the first time since March 26, 2020. On Tuesday , however, the city reported 314 new cases and four deaths. Mumbai now has a recovery rate of 97% and the number of sealed buildings is 46.  

Health minister Rajesh Tope today said that the state task force has cautioned about a third wave post Diwali. He said while the second wave is not over yet and at the same time there is no favourable condition for third wave yet.