MUMBAI: The BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on Wednesday issued directives clarifying who all would be allowed movement during the weekend lockdown in the city under the government's ‘Break the Chain’ order.
These include online service providers like Zomato, Swiggy, roadside foot stalls to provide parcel and take away service, students or candidates having to attend various competitive exams, maids, cooks and drivers besides also allowing online home deliveries of food and essential supplies.
Even though the lockdown guidelines currently in force in Mumbai restrict any movement beyond 8pm, Chahal in the civic circular has said that movement of maids, cooks, drivers, house help is allowed. Also nurses and medical attendees providing services to senior citizens and ailing people at home are allowed between 7 am -10 pm on all days.
The government in its April 5 order with regards to domestic helps/drivers and cooks to work past 8 pm or on weekends had said that the local disaster management authority would need to decide the same based on the local situation.
Meanwhile all online home deliveries of food and essential supplies (e-commerce) through all online service providers like Zomato, Swiggy etc are allowed 24 hours on all days in the week. It has also been clarified that during the weekend lockdown the take away from hotels in person are not allowed however home deliveries are allowed.
The government order has stated that take away orders, parcels and home delivery services were to be allowed only between 7 am-8 pm not 24 hours.
During the weekend lockdown roadside food stalls including fruit stalls are also allowed only to provide parcels or take away services. No person is allowed to stand there and consume the food.
Importantly all students or candidates who have to attend various exams including the competitive exams are allowed to make necessary movement to attend the exams during the weekend lockdown and their examination hall tickets should be considered valid for the same. They are allowed to be accompanied by one guardian/parent.
The state government on Wednesday also issued a clarification stating that food shop which has been listed as essential services to include chicken, poultry, mutton, chicken, fish shop, etc. The order also stated that supply of gas will now be included under the essential services apart from financial institutions and offices of SEBI recognised market infrastructure institutions.
(With inputs from Sujit Mahamulkar)