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Maharashtra Government on Tuesday announced a 15-day long statewide curfew from April 14 amid the spike in coronavirus cases in the state.

The curfew, which excludes essential services, will come into effect from 8 pm on Wednesday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said in his address via social media to people of the state.

Section 144 (prohibitory orders) of the Criminal Procedure Code will be in force till the "lockdown-like" restrictions are in place, Thackeray said.

He refrained from terming the new curbs as a lockdown.

Now, as Maharashtra government has put strict restrictions in place, several services will be unavailable during for the next 15 days. During the curfew, the state government has ordered that restaurants and bars will remain closed for dining. However, home delivery services will be allowed during the curfew period.

Here are guidelines for restaurants, bars and hotels

a. All Restaurants and bars to remain closed for in-dining, except for those inside the campus and which form an integral parts of hotels.

b. Only home delivery services shall be allowed and there shall be no visiting any restaurant or bar for ordering purposes or pickup.

c. Restaurants and bars inside hotels are to be open only for in-house guests. In no circumstance should outside guests be allowed. For outsiders, they will follow the same restrictions as any other restaurant and bar as mentioned above. Guests of the hotel may move out only for the valid reasons or for performance of duty required for essential services or for exceptions made for offices mentioned in this order.

d. All personnel belonging to home delivery services to be vaccinated at the earliest as per GOI guidelines.

e. All the home deliveries to buildings housing more than one family should be restricted to the entrance of the building and internal movement of the delivery should be by dedicated staff of the building. It is also expected that all the interactions of home delivery staff and the building personnel are disciplined and COVID appropriate.

f. Any default on Covid Appropriate Behaviour will attract a fine of Rs 1000/- on the offender and fine of Rs 10,000 will be levied on the establishment. Repeated offence may be lead to withdrawal of licenses or permissions for operations till notification for COVID 19 epidemic remains in force.

g. All staff working in these restaurants and bars are advised to get vaccinated at the earliest, as per GOI guidelines, so that reopening of these may be expedited.