Mumbai: From tomorrow, office attendance over 10%, train frequency of 5 minute – Times of India

Photo used for representational purpose only

MUMBAI: Attendance in offices will be increased from the current 10% and frequency of suburban trains will be increased from 15-20 minutes to 5 minutes from Tuesday.
As the lockdown is to end on Tuesday, it will be extended by another month in view of the spurt in Covid-19 cases and rising deaths across the state. Existing restrictions in the city, Thane, Pune and containment zones will continue. Elsewhere in the state, collectors and municipal commissioners will be empowered to grant relaxations.
An official said there was no question of granting permission for the opening of malls, gymnasiums and swimming pools. The official said taxis would be permitted for specific emergencies only.
On the other hand, island city district guardian minister Aslam Shaikh said the government had granted permission for opening salons and soon it would look at granting permission to gymnasiums, spas, welders and carpenters.
“We are working out standard operating procedure for all types of trades. We feel that attendance in offices should be increased from 10% to 30%. Sooner or later, we will have to open malls and markets for restoring city’s economy,” Shaikh said.
A cabinet member said that since the entire state was seeing an increase in the number of cases and deaths, the CM has no option but to extend the lockdown by at least a month. “We did relax restrictions, but the facility was misused by the people. As a result, we saw a sudden spurt in cases and deaths too,” the minister said.
Energy minister Nitin Raut said the administration had not been able to halt the rise in cases and deaths and more stringent measures were required.