Mumbai: Over the last few weeks, as Maharashtra's COVID-19 case tally rose to dizzying heights, the state administration has imposed a slew of restrictions. From this week, many public spaces and stores will remain closed as the state attempts to break the chain of transmission. But as the partial lockdown went into effect, the situation has rapidly devolved.
In many places across Mumbai, protests have broken out as vendors railed against the closure of shops. A day after shopkeepers across Thane, Kalyan, and Ulhasnagar, Borivali and other parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region held impromptu protest marches, a similar situation was seen in Kandivali on Wednesday morning.
Visuals taken by The Free Press Journal's BL Soni show a large group of people agitating with placards. We feel compelled to mention here that while most seem to be wearing masks, some are sporting it firmly below their noses, and social distancing protocols seem to have flown out of the window. The placards bear various iterations of the same message, that they are firmly against the lockdown imposed in the state.
For the uninitiated, the Uddhav Thackeray-led government had recently announced a partial lockdown in the state as the caseload continued to rise, and some continued to flout the guidelines. Under these Break The Chain restrictions, public spaces such as parks and gardens as well as recreational areas such as cinema halls, amusement parks, gyms and more will remain closed. With only essential services permitted, salons and spas as well as most shops and malls have also closed their doors.
