MUMBAI: Barely 24 hours after ruling out night curfew, chief minister M Uddhav Thackeray on Monday announced a seven-hour night curfew in all municipal corporation areas of the state. The curfew, from 11pm to 6am, will come into force from December 22 (Tuesday) and be effective till January 6. The CM’s move has been prompted by the emergence of the ‘UK Covid mutation’.
The night curfew will cover establishments as well as movement of people and vehicles on roads
However, emergency services such as transportation and supply of milk and vegetables will be allowed
Christmas and New Year celebrations, large gatherings, parties, functions, shops, hotels and theatres will have to mandatorily end or down shutters by 11pm
People have been advised by the state government to reach home before 11pm and not step out till 6am, except in case of an emergency State chief secretary Sanjay Kumar told TOI, “Curfew means curfew. It is better that people avoid getting out of their homes between 11pm and 6am except in an emergency.”
We need to be more vigilant for the next 15 days, says CM
CM Uddhav Thackeray on Monday announced the decision to impose a night curfew after a meeting with senior bureaucrats to discuss measures to be taken after the emergence of the mutation in the Covid-19-causing coronavirus in the UK. “More precautions are being taken in the state and we have to be more vigilant for the next 15 days,” said Thackeray after chairing the meeting with state health officials and BMC chief I S Chahal. Thackeray has appealed to people to follow Covid norms during weddings and Christmas and New Year-eve parties.
While the BMC notification on night curfew will be released early on Tuesday, additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani said, “People must adjust their travel to ensure they reach home by 11pm or have a strong reason for travelling.”
Shivanand Shetty, president of the Indian Hotels and Restaurants Association, said that despite sharing the state’s concerns about the new virus strain, more stringent measures would push the industry into severe hardships.
Joint commissioner of police (law & order) Vishwas Nangre-Patil said they are waiting for a formal order that will be out on Tuesday. “Right now, it is understood that those travelling back home from work and other important chores will not face action,” he said.
(Inputs by Malathy Iyer, Clara Lewis & V Narayan)