Amid the coronavirus scare across the state, Maharashtra Home Department has restricted the entry of ordinary visitors to Mantralaya (secretariat). In a circular, the state home department stated that the ordinary visitors are not allowed to enter Mantralaya from Tuesday.
This decision comes as a preventive measure to stop the spread of coronavirus or COVID-19. The State Home Department has also suspended the visitor pass management system till further notice, Times of India reported.
The circular also states that the mail will be collected at the Mantralaya gates and courier boys will not be allowed to enter the Mantralaya. The home department has also restricted the number of VIP visitors a minister can attend.
The number of visitors a minister or minister of state (MoS) can meet has been limited to 10 while the chief secretary and other department heads can only attend up to five visitors.
Visitors who have undergone preliminary medical check-up for coronavirus or COVID-19 at the airports will be allowed inside Mantralaya. The circular also suggests that ministers will not be able to call meetings unless it is necessary. The urgent matters are to be taken up on e-mail.
Earlier in the day, the Maharashtra cabinet decided that there is no holiday for the government employees and the government offices will be functional with 50 per cent attendance.
However, like private offices, employees working at the Mantralaya will not have ‘work from home’. The employees working with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), railways and transport will have to visit their office.
The Maharashtra cabinet also decided to not halt the functioning of public transport in the state including local trains, buses and metros. However, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray urged the public to not travel unless it is an emergency.
Maharashtra has become the worst-affected state in terms of the coronavirus outbreak. 41 cases have been tested positive in Maharashtra until now and seven cases in Mumbai, CM Uddhav Thackeray said.
Earlier today, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) confirmed that India was in stage 2 of the coronavirus outbreak which means that local transmission of the virus has started.
Also Read -
We Are At Stage 2, Efforts Being Made To Abate Situation: Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope
Public Transport, Government Offices To Remain Open: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray
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