Maharashtra govt issues new guidelines: What's allowed, What is not

Mumbai, Apr 21: Amid a massive surge in COVID-19 cases Maharashtra government has released a new set of guidelines to break the chain of COVID-19 transmission.

As per the fresh guidelines, marriages may be conducted not extending beyond 2 hours with maximum 25 people, while government offices can operate with 15% attendance except emergency services.

Inter-city or inter-district travel

• Bus service operator must restrict the stoppages to maximum two in a city and shall inform local District Management Authority (DMA) about the same and the schedule.
• Local DMA may ask to change these if so desired.
• At the stoppages where passengers are alighting all passengers shall be stamped on the hand for 14 days home quarantine. This stamping must be done by the operator.
• Thermal scanners shall be used and anyone with symptoms shall be moved to corona care centres or to a hospital.
• Local DMA may decide to do the RAT test at the alighting point by appointing one of the authorised labs to give these services. Cost of the test, if so decided shall be borne by the passenger/ service provider.
• If any operator is found to be flouting these guidelines, then DMA may levy a fine of 10000/-.
• Repeated defaults will lead to cancellation of license to operate till end of notification of COVID 19 as a pandemic.
• The local Disaster Management Authority can waive off the rules regarding mandatory stamping for buses arriving from certain origins as per the local conditions.

Maharashtra guidelines for local trains, metro

• Only the following categories of people will be allowed to use local trains, metro and mono rail services (excepting long distance trains):
• All government personnel (state/ central/ local), tickets/ passes to be issued to the above category of personnel on the basis of a Government-issued identity card only.
• All medical personnel (Doctors/ paramedics/ lab technicians/ hospital and medical clinic staff etc). Tickets/ passes to be issued on the basis of an identity card issued by the concerned medical organisation.
• Any persons needing medical treatment or specially-abled persons and one person accompanying the needy.
• State government or local government-owned public buses shall ply at 50 per cent of the capacity with no standing passengers.

Marriage function rules

The marriage ceremony may be conducted only as a single event in a single hall not extending beyond 2 hours with a maximum of a total of 25 persons attending the same.

Any family seen to be flaunting the restraints or not following these in letter and spirit may be fined Rs 50000/-, and any location that is misused or is defaulting in the spirit of the restrictions shall be closed till the promulgation of Covid 19 as a disaster remains in force.

Private passenger transport

• Private Passenger transport excluding buses can ply only for emergency or essential services or valid reasons with driver plus of the seating capacity.
• These are not expected to be inter-district or inter-city and should be confined to the city of residence Of the travellers.
• Inter-district or inter-city travel is allowed only if required for performing an essential service or in case of medical emergencies or attending unavoidable events like funerals or severe sickness of family.
• Anyone flouting the order in letter or spirit shall be punishable by fine of Rs 10000/-.