CINEMAS TO REOPEN IN 18 DISTRICTS OF MAHARASHTRA, SHOOTINGS ALLOWED AS PART OF 5-LEVEL UNLOCK PLAN | 3 June, 2021

The Maharashtra government today (3rd June) announced a five-level unlock plan to relax the restrictions imposed to check the spread of COVID-19. Under the plan, 18 out of the 36 districts of the state are eligible to lift the COVID restrictions from tomorrow (4th June). The five-level unlock plan will be based on the weekly positivity rate and the hospital bed occupancy of the district.

In the first category (level 1) are districts with less than 5% positivity rate and less than 25% occupancy of oxygen beds in hospitals. In such districts, everything will be permitted to reopen. The 18 districts are Aurangabad, Bhandara, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Dhule, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Jalgaon, Jalna, Latur, Nagpur, Nanded, Nasik, Parbhani, Thane, Washim, Wardha and Yavatmal. In such districts, cinemas will be allowed to reopen at full capacity. Shootings of films, TV serials and web series will also be permitted in the said 18 districts. Malls will also be permitted to reopen, and unlimited attendance at weddings will also be allowed.

In such districts, cinemas will be allowed to reopen at full capacity. Shootings of films, TV serials and web series will also be permitted in the said 18 districts.

Restrictions in Bombay city will be relaxed only partially. Besides Bombay, the districts/cities which fall in level 2 category are Amravati, Ahmednagar and Hingoli. In the level 2 category districts/cities, gymnasiums, salons and beauty parlours will be allowed to reopen but at 50% capacities. The lifeline of Bombay city — the local trains — will, however, not be available yet to the general public.

Kolhapur, Osmanabad, Akola, Sindhudurg, Sangli, Beed, Satara and Ratnagiri fall under the level 3 category. Pune and Raigad have been listed in level 4 category.

As per the new COVID rules, people will have to carry e-pass to travel.