The Maharashtra government on Wednesday allowed cinema halls, drama theatres and multiplexes situated outside containment zones in the State to reopen from Thursday. The establishments can function at 50% capacity and no eatables will be allowed inside.
The State Cultural Affairs Department and local authorities will issue the standard operating procedure (SOP). The move to reopen theatres and multiplexes comes after a number of delegations met with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Cultural Affairs Minister Amit Deshmukh.
As per the latest government guidelines, yoga institutes, and indoor sports facilities such as badminton, tennis, squash courts, and indoor shooting ranges outside containment zones will also be allowed to operate from Thursday. “This will be allowed with physical distancing and sanitisation measures,” the government’s guidelines said. The SOP will be issued by the Public Health Department as per the Centre’s guidelines.
“Swimming pools being used for training of State-, national- and international-level sportspersons, outside containment zones, will be allowed to operate with effect from November 5. The SOP will be issued by the Sports and Youth Affairs Department,” the order said.
According to sources, the State government is planning to reopen places of worship after Deepavali. No final decision has been taken yet. The Bharatiya Janata Party has been aggressively campaigning to open temples in the State.
