Maharashtra mission falters as lockdowns start again

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government's 'Mission Begin Again' plan to slowly let businesses open up in a bid to revive the state's economy, has run into a hurdle with the state government pushing districts and civic bodies into a further lockdown. The purpose of that plan, launched in June, was to allow businesses to open up simultaneously. But a fresh lockdown has put a question mark on the whole plan as restrictions have made it difficult for businesses to function.

In its latest announcement on Friday, the Maharashtra government imposed a lockdown in Pune and the neighbouring towns of Pimpri and Chinchwad from July 13 to July 23. Only milk shops, pharmacies, doctor's clinics and emergency services are to be allowed. The announcement comes after a meeting chaired by Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar with senior government officials in Pune.

The Thane Municipal Corporation, which had announced a lockdown for 10 days from July 2 to July 12, has also now decided to extend it till July 19. Aurangabad is also under a lockdown from July 10 to July 19. The Mumbai police has already issued orders that make it difficult for people to travel from one part of the city to another. To make matters worse, neighbouring cities such as Navi Mumbai and Kalyan-Dombivli have all gone into a lockdown.

"If you hinder people's movement and also impose stringent conditions, asking them not even to step out for groceries, then how can you run a business? Our employees are finding it difficult to come to work, we are already facing losses. There is no point in allowing businesses to start when you are placing such restrictions," said a Jayesh T, a garment trader from Mumbai.

To give an example of how the new relaxations under Mission Begin Again are not making sense, several shops in the city are shutting down their businesses by 3 pm, even when the state has allowed them to function from 9 am to 7 pm. "It doesn't make sense to open your shop and see no customers come. We have overheads to pay like electricity charges," said a shopkeeper from CST.

A senior IAS official, however, said the lockdown is being imposed to contain movement of people. Pune saw more than 1,803 new cases in one day on Thursday. This is more than the number of cases in Mumbai. This puts a huge strain on the health machinery and is unsustainable," said the official.