Maharashtra Chief Minister on Tuesday, February 23, directed the chief secretary to include Mantralaya employees in the frontline workers’ list and ensure they are given the vaccination on priority.
This development came after a sudden surge in the COVID-19 cases among Mantralaya staffers in the last one week. As of Tuesday, February 23, 75 staffers, including officers, have tested positive.
Mantralaya staffers will undergo temperature checks every day and those who show symptoms will have to take antigen tests, the CM added.
Moreover, the CM said he will make a decision regarding visitor entry in a day or two.
There are nearly 7,000 employees in Mantralaya building, New Administrative Building and Vidhan Bhavan. If vaccinated on priority, it will reduce risk at the state headquarters, said G D Kulthe, advisor of the confederation.
According to reports, the confederation also demanded a cap on the number of visitors to Mantralaya and insisted that those allowed entry should follow all COVID protocols.
Thackeray also asked the chief secretary to prepare a plan to stagger the work timings of departments in two shifts and examine the feasibility of how many can function at full capacity if allowed to work from home. Officials said Thackeray had pushed for a national policy on staggered work timings during the recently held Niti Aayog meeting with PM Narendra Modi.