Nearly 2,000 building projects are under construction in Mumbai alone. (Representational Image)

Developers will be allowed to undertake construction work in ongoing projects at COVID-19 hotspots of Mumbai and Pune after April 20. But to do this, they will need special permission from the respective civic commissioners. Also, only those projects where workers are available on site will be permitted. Builders won’t be permitted to bring workers from outside.

Two days after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs issued guidelines regarding the enforcement of the second phase of the nationwide lockdown and additional economic activities to be permitted from April 20, the Maharashtra government on Friday announced norms to implement the same.

While the Centre has mainly advocated resumption of manufacturing and industrial activity in areas outside the 170 hotspots, Maharashtra appears to have made an exception for underconstruction projects in Mumbai and Pune.

Nearly 2,000 building projects are under construction in Mumbai alone. “Most of the stranded labourers in Maharashtra are stuck at construction sites in Mumbai and Pune. Resumption of activity on these sites will also provide them livelihood,” a senior official said.

Till Friday, data compiled by the labour department showed that 74,991 workers were stuck at 629 sites in Mumbai, and another 1,12,511 workers were holed up at 854 sites in Pune. Officials said that projects within containment zones won’t be permitted in Mumbai and Pune.

With some other urban belts also still in the grip of the pandemic, Maharashtra for now has permitted just industries operating in rural areas or outside the limits of municipalities to start functioning post April 20.

Based on Centre’s directions, export-oriented units, SEZs, units located in industrial townships and estates, production units that require continuous process and their supply chains situated in non-containment zones — with the exception of Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Pune Municipal Corporation limts — have also been permitted.

But it will be the responsibility of the plant owners to make arrangements for the stay of the workers within their premises or adjacent building. No workers from a hotspot or a containment zone will be allowed to commute to such workplaces, and the owners will have to provide dedicated transport for the transportation of workers.

In another measure to accommodate stranded workers in daily wage earning jobs, the state has decided to push wage works permitted under the Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Act in sectors such as irrigation, roads and water supply. Brick kilns in rural belts will also be allowed to operate for the same purpose, officials said.

In the information technology sector, establishments in non-containment zones will be permitted to operate with 50 per cent staff capacity, while data and call centers will be permitted to function with “barest minimum staff”. While the state has decided to continue permitting movement of vehicles belonging to e-commerce operators and allow take-home deliveries from eateries, it has ruled that the delivery persons shall compulsorily wear a mask and frequently use hand sanitisers. It has also made the establishment responsible for “regular screening of kitchen staff and delivery persons” for eateries.

“Banks will be allowed to work for normal working hours till disbursal of direct benefit cash transfers is complete. Local administration will provide additional security to banks for observing social distancing protocols,” stated the order.

While educational institutes will remain closed, government has asked institutions to promote online learning. The local administration will be responsible for ensuring that SOP for social distancing in all offices, workplaces, factories and establishments are in place.