Maharashtra curfew: House-helps allowed to travel, work in Mumbai, says BMC

Mumbai: The Mumbai civic body -  Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) – has said that domestic helps can go to work during the 15-day long lockdown-style restrictions imposed across Maharashtra to ''break the chain of COVID-19 infections''.  

BMC chief IS Chahal said that house-helps would be allowed to travel and work during the fresh set of restrictions announced by the Maharashtra Relief and Rehabilitation Ministry on Tuesday.

The new restrictions are part of the state government’s initiative 'break the chain' initiative that asked many establishments and non-essential services to close down till May 1.

Chahal cleared the air by saying that domestic helps or house maids will be allowed to travel and go to work during this period.

BMC additional commissioner Suresh Kakani said a fresh set of orders will be issued on Wednesday as clarification for the residents of Mumbai.

"We will explain which works or services can remain open during the period. The break the chain restrictions will come into effect from tomorrow 8 pm. We will issue our orders before it," Kakani said. 

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had on Tuesday announced a series of strict restrictions in the state till April 30, including the imposition of Section 144 from Wednesday in view of rising COVID-19 cases.

He, however, said he will not call the new restrictions "lockdown". Under the new guidelines, all establishments, public places, activities will remain closed in the state. 

Only essential services will be exempted, and their operations to be unrestricted.

The guidelines said that cinema halls, theatres, auditoriums, amusement parks, gyms, sports complexes will remain closed till Section 144 is imposed in the state.

Shooting for films, serial, ads will remain suspended in Maharashtra from 8 pm, April 14 till 7 am, May 1.

All shops, malls, shopping centres not performing essential services will also remain closed during this time. Maharashtra had reported 60,212 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. 

Mumbai reported 7,898 new cases and 26 deaths in the last 24 hours, while Nagpur district reported 6826 new COVID19 cases, 3518 recoveries, and 65 deaths, on Tuesday.