MUMBAI: A day after holding firm on its stand not to relax restrictions in Mumbai and Pune, the Maharashtra government allowed standalone and neighbourhood shops for non-essential items, including liquor, to reopen across the state. The concession applies even in the red zone areas of the Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR), Pune district and the Malegaon township, though not in containment zones. Standalone shops selling essentials have already been functioning.
However, private offices in the MMR region and Pune will not be allowed to operate with 33% attendance. A senior official said the rule may be reviewed after a few days.
Principal secretary Bhushan Gagrani said, “Liquor shops inside malls, in market complexes, hotels and even restaurants will not be allowed to open. And no such shops will be allowed to reopen in containment zones.”
Only five non-essential shops in a lane in MMR
An estimated revenue of Rs 1,200 crore per month comes from the sale of liquor in the state, to which Mumbai and Pune are majority contributors. But while standalone shops across the state can stay open as per new guidelines issued on Sunday, in the Mumbai-Pune region (including Pimpri-Chinchwad) and Malegaon, where Covid-19 cases are very high, there is a limitation of five non-essential-goods shops per lane. Municipal corporations and district authorities have been asked to issue guidelines and regulate timings, depending on local conditions.
Retail wine shops will close at 6pm and wholesalers will have to shut shop at 5pm. Also, liquor manufacturing units in rural and urban areas, and industrial townships, barring MMR and Pune region can start work. These shops must function at 50% labour capacity, with thermal screening of all staff and santization of premise every two hours.
As per the original order of Saturday, standalone non-essential shops were allowed to reopen across the state, except for the districts mentioned above. The state government on Sunday brought an amendment to the lockdown order to include these areas as well. Also, on Saturday, there was no clarity on whether liquor shops were a part of the nonessential-goods shops. This was cleared on Sunday.
However, private offices in the MMR region and Pune will not be allowed to operate with 33% attendance. A senior official said the rule may be reviewed after a few days.
Principal secretary Bhushan Gagrani said, “Liquor shops inside malls, in market complexes, hotels and even restaurants will not be allowed to open. And no such shops will be allowed to reopen in containment zones.”
Only five non-essential shops in a lane in MMR
An estimated revenue of Rs 1,200 crore per month comes from the sale of liquor in the state, to which Mumbai and Pune are majority contributors. But while standalone shops across the state can stay open as per new guidelines issued on Sunday, in the Mumbai-Pune region (including Pimpri-Chinchwad) and Malegaon, where Covid-19 cases are very high, there is a limitation of five non-essential-goods shops per lane. Municipal corporations and district authorities have been asked to issue guidelines and regulate timings, depending on local conditions.
Retail wine shops will close at 6pm and wholesalers will have to shut shop at 5pm. Also, liquor manufacturing units in rural and urban areas, and industrial townships, barring MMR and Pune region can start work. These shops must function at 50% labour capacity, with thermal screening of all staff and santization of premise every two hours.
As per the original order of Saturday, standalone non-essential shops were allowed to reopen across the state, except for the districts mentioned above. The state government on Sunday brought an amendment to the lockdown order to include these areas as well. Also, on Saturday, there was no clarity on whether liquor shops were a part of the nonessential-goods shops. This was cleared on Sunday.
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