Maharashtra orders night curfew for 15 days, quarantine for travellers from abroad | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Maharashtra orders night curfew for 15 days, quarantine for travellers from abroad

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByFaisal Malik & Sagar Pillai
Dec 22, 2020 12:54 PM IST

The decision was taken at a high level meeting called by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday. It was taken as a precautionary measures considering a mutation of the coronavirus infection found in Britain, which is believed to spread faster than its previous strains. Thackeray said they have to be vigilant for the next 15 days.

The Uddhav Thackeray government has decided to impose a seven-hour night curfew in cities across Maharashtra from Tuesday for the next 15 days and order travellers from abroad to quarantine themselves. The curfew will be effective in all municipal corporation areas across the state between 11 pm and 6 am till January 5.

The curfew will be effective in all the cities (municipal corporation areas) across the state from 11 pm till 6am.(FILE PHOTO.)
The curfew will be effective in all the cities (municipal corporation areas) across the state from 11 pm till 6am.(FILE PHOTO.)

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, however, asserted that the night curfew did not imply that people couldn’t step out at all. “There is a difference between a night curfew and a lockdown. While in a lockdown, individuals cannot step out of their homes. In a curfew, more than 5 people cannot assemble outside during the specified hours. So, offices that function overnight or something like dairy transportation can still operate. Taxis, cars and auto rickshaws will also run just like before,” he said.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

ALSO WATCH | Covid update: Oxford vaccine shows 70% efficacy; Maharashtra’s travel curb

 

Chahal added that the curfew was being imposed due to violations of social distancing norms. “Even on Sunday night, our teams visited some nightclubs and found violations. This is why the decision of night curfew had to be taken. This is not a normal new year which is why we cannot have normal celebrations. The curfew is being imposed to ensure that such violations are not repeated,” he said.

The Maharashtra government has also decided to keep all travellers from European and Middle-Eastern countries in institutional quarantine for 14 days. People landing at the state’s airports from other countries will be asked to home quarantine themselves, the state government said.

Travelers coming from European and Middle-East countries should be kept at institutional quarantine facilities. Their RT-PCR tests should be conducted on the 5th or 7th day and they will be allowed to go home after completion of the quarantine period.

“Municipal commissioners have been directed to develop institutional quarantine facilities at hotels or by developing temporary facilities close to airports,” the chief minister said.

The decision was taken in a high level meeting called by the chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday, a precautionary measure considering the new variant of the Sar-CoV-2 found in Britain that is believed to spread faster than the previous strains. Thackeray said the government and people had to be vigilant for the next 15 days.

“A total of five flights are arriving from the United Kingdom by tomorrow night when the Centre’s order to suspend UK flights will come into force. Nearly 1,000 passengers arriving in these flights will be quarantined in hotels. We have arranged 2,000 rooms (1,000 rooms in luxury hotels and 1,000 rooms in budgeted hotels) in hotels across the city. BEST buses will be used to transport them to the hotels,” Chahal said.

“If any of the passengers are found to be symptomatic, they will be directly shifted from the airport to GT hospital where beds have already been reserved,” he added.

Unveiling Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!

Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Arvind Kejriwal News Live, Bihar Board 10th Result 2024 Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On