A day after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray directed officials not to buckle under pressure and refrain from taking firm measures to tackle COVID-19, municipal corporations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) have decided to extend the lockdown in hotspots till July 31.
Due to mounting economic losses, traders and shopkeepers have been demanding a roll back of the lockdown. With cases continuing to rise in MMR despite the lockdown, the government has decided to extend the lockdown in areas reporting new COVID-19 cases.
Following Thane and Mira-Bhayander municipal corproations, Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) on Sunday announced that it would be extending its lockdown. All municipal councils, nagar panchayats and rural areas too will remain under lockdown till then.
KDMC has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. On Saturday, it had 17,640 patients. The civic body has also released a list of 48 hotspots, where strict measures will be imposed. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has also extended the lockdown in 42 hotspots within its limits.
According to the guidelines issued by the civic bodies, malls, markets and commercial complexes will remain closed, while small shops and vegetable vendors may open based on the odd-even formula from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On Saturday, Mr. Thackeray directed district collectors and divisional commissioners to take actions suitable to counter spread of COVID-19, even if they were unpopular.
With inputs from Raina Assainar.
