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Partial lockdown in Pune: 12-hr night curfew; malls, hotels shut for 1 week

PUNE: Considering the rapidly increasing cases of COVID-19 in the state, the Maharashtra government today announced that malls, cinema hall, places of religious worship, restaurants and bars in Pune district will remain shut for seven days starting April 3.

Further, a 12-hour night curfew from 6 pm to 6 am will be imposed in Pune from Saturday, April 3 and the situation will be reviewed in a weeks time, whether to continue or relax the restrictions. Essential services have been exempted from 6 pm to 6 am curfew.

The decision to impose this partial lockdown was taken today during a review meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and accordingly orders were issued by Pune Divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao.

According to Rao, the city's public transport system run by Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) will also remain off roads for the next seven days. 

Rao added that schools and colleges will remain closed till April 30, however, only the students of Classes 10 and 12, and the candidates preparing for the MPSC exam will be allowed to carry out their regular academic activities.

Rao said, "All these decisions were taken in view of the surge in COVID-19 cases in the last few days. The situation is becoming critical. In the last one week, the positivity rate of the district has crossed 32 per cent."

Till last Friday, the positivity rate was around 26-27 per cent. But in the last one week, it went beyond 32 per cent and the per day tally of the cases is also around 8,000, he said.

On Thursday, April 1, Pune district crossed 10,000 deaths due to COVID-19 with active cases nearing the 70,000 mark.

According to an update by the Pune district health officer on Thursday, the death toll in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) climbed to 5,337 with 35 new fatalities. In Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), the death toll rose to 2,018 with 15 new fatalities.

The main opposition party in the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has opposed the restrictions in the district. BJP's Lok Sabha member from Pune, Girish Bapat, who also attended the meeting, opposed the decision to stop the PMPML bus services and imposition of curfew from 6 pm.

"We oppose the decision to suspend the PMPML service as the majority of the working class is dependent on the public transport system. We as a party will take further course of action on the decision of PMPML," he said.

He also suggested that the earlier curfew timing of 8 pm to 6 am should be kept unchanged and the administration should ensure that more than five people do not gather.

Reporter

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