In a recent announcement at the press conference, IAS Bhushan Gagrani stated that the liquor shops will be opened in Mumbai and Pune from May 4, 2020. However, officials at the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR) have been given strict guidelines regarding the same. Alcohol sale in Mumbai and Pune can begin from May 4, but shops will have to follow orders given by the state government of Maharashtra.
As per reports, authorities have decided that the shops can be opened, but NOT in containment zones or red zones in Mumbai and Pune. On May 1, 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had released a set of guidelines for what can be allowed in red, orange and green zones. However, state governments were asked to decide based on the coronavirus spread in respective districts and areas. Keeping this in mind, the government of Maharashtra drafted guidelines applicable to the state.
Any kind of shops which open after May 4, 2020, will have to strictly follow these rules and conditions. Timings to operate the same can be decided by the local authorities keeping the COVID-19 conditions in mind, as per the situation. Below mentioned are the guidelines.
14 districts in the state have been marked as red zones, out of which five are in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Pune and Malegaon. Officials on Saturday, May 2, 2020, confirmed that no permissions will be given for these areas during Lockdown 3.0. As per the orders issued by state chief secretary Ajoy Mehta, even private offices in these zones will not be allowed to operate with 33 per cent strength.
The state saw an increase of 790 cases on May 2, 2020, taking the tally to 12,296 with 521 deaths. The total in Mumbai is at 8359 with 322 deaths. Tally in Pune is at 1189 with 95 deaths. Keeping an increase of cases in mind, the BMC sealed some more buildings as containment zones or red zones in Mumbai. As of May 1, 2020, 1606 buildings were sealed, out of which 944 are in congested areas.