The state home department said in a notification that its earlier deadline for the owners, operators and employees of commercial units in 18 cities, and others involved in trade activities with all such facilities, to get vaccinated till June 30 has been extended by ten days to July 10.

The government's decision comes as a large number of people involved in commercial units in the 18 cities are yet to be inoculated against coronavirus due to a short supply of vaccines.

Over the last few days, there has been a rush of people at vaccination centres in these cities due to the previous notification issued on June 25.

The 18 cities, where the compulsory vaccination rule for people linked to commercial activities is applicable, are: Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Gandhinagar, Gandhidham, Bhuj, Morbi, Patan, Valsad, Mehsana, Bharuch, Navsari, Ankleshwar and Vapi.