Non-essential shops have been allowed to operate from 7 am to 4 pm on weekdays. (Express Photo: Pavan Khengre) All shops have been allowed to operate for two more hours between 7 am and 4 pm from Monday as Pimpri-Chinchwad is set to open up under the state’s five-level unlock plan.
A directive issued by the Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Patil late Saturday evening said in Pimpri-Chinchwad, categorised under level three of the state’s unlock plan, restaurants, bars and food courts have also been allowed to operate with 50 per cent capacity on weekdays starting Monday, while takeaways and home deliveries allowed post 4 pm.
“Pimpri-Chinchwad has an average positivity rate of 5.8 per cent and an oxygen bed occupancy of 15.91 per cent, and falls in level 3 category as per the state government’s break the chain order,” the municipal commissioner said. Areas with a five to 10 per cent positivity rate and oxygen bed occupancy over 40 per cent fall under the category, as per the state order.
“The timings of all shops, essential and non-essential, have been increased by two hours. But non-essential shops will remain shut on Saturdays and Sundays,” the civic commissioner said.
As per the order, malls, multiplexes and theatres will continue to remain shut, while parks and gardens have been allowed to open from 5 am to 9 pm and sports activities from 5 am to 9 pm and from 6 pm to 9 pm. E-commerce service has been allowed on weekdays. All restaurants, bars and other eateries have to put up a board, at a prominent spot, mentioning that only 50 per cent of diners are allowed at a time, the order states.
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The civic commissioner has also put a cap of 50 guests for weddings and 20 for funerals.
Some industrialists, however, have pointed out that there was no clarity whether all industrial units should have been allowed to resume operations or not. “In the last order, only essential and export-oriented industries were allowed. In the latest order, it is not specifically mentioned whether all industrial units will be allowed to operate or not. This has confusion,” Sandeep Belsare, president of Pimpri-Chinchwad Small Scale Industries said.
Patil, however, said as Pimpri-Chinchwad falls in the level 3 category, essential industries and export-oriented industries have been allowed. “Level 3 category includes those industries which can ensure bus service of their own to ferry their employees,” he added.
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