'No need for stricter lockdown in Maharashtra,' says CM Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai, May 1: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that there is no need to impose additional restrictions in the state as the current restrictions imposed in the state have helped contain the spread of Covid-19 and people are following it.

 

"There is no need for a more strict lockdown in Maharashtra, people are following the restrictions. We have been to contain the spread of COVID-19 due to restrictions and lockdown. Our estimate was that there might be 10 lakh positive active patients, but now it is 7 lakh cases," Thackeray said at a press conference.

 

 

"We are hopeful that soon there will be a decline in the number of active cases. We are better prepared for the third wave of the virus. For the second wave, we were prepared, but no one told us that it will spread much faster and will be deadlier than the first wave,” the chief minister said.

 

 

He also reviewed the progress made on the package announced for countering COVID-19 and stressed the need to deal with the third wave of the pandemic. "The economy of the state should not halt. So I have held meetings with industrialists, representatives of labour unions and taken their inputs about how to tackle the third wave of COVID-19," he said.

 

The Maharashtra government earlier in the day extended the ongoing restrictions till May 15. The restrictions imposed to curb the infections were in place till May 1. According to a statement issued by the Chief Secretary of the state, the decision has been taken as Maharashtra continues to be threatened with the spread of COVID-19.

 

 

The statement said it was imperative to continue the emergency measures to prevent and contain the spread of the virus. Essential services have been exempted from the purview of the restrictions. Local train services in Mumbai and public transport are open only for essential services staff of the government.