Complete lockdown in Nagpur from March 15-21 amid rising coronavirus cases

However, essential services will be allowed during this period, said Nagpur Guardian Minister Nitin Raut

Amid steep rise in coronavirus cases, complete lockdown has been imposed in Nagpur City area from March 15 to March 21, said Nagpur Guardian Minister Nitin Raut on Thursday.

However, essential services will be allowed during this period, Raut said after chairing a high-level meeting with of top district officials. He said that people should not move out unnecessarily.
 

Raut told reporters that the lockdown will be enforced in the Nagpur Police Commissionerate limits from March 15 to 21.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had last year in January had appointed guardian ministers for all 36 districts of the state.

During the lockdown, private offices will remain closed, while government offices will work at 25 per cent capacity, said Raut. Shops of essential commodities will remain open, the minister said. Liquor will be sold online only during the lockdown period.

Raut said people should not move out unnecessarily.

On February 22, some restrictions were imposed in Nagpur, including strict curbs on weekends.

On Wednesday, the district reported 1,710 new coronavirus cases, which pushed its overall tally to 1,62,053.

There are 12,166 active COVID-19 cases at present in Nagpur.

A total of 4,417 people have died due to the viral infection in the district so far, as per official figures.

The restrictions in Nagpur come at a time when rest of Maharashtra is already grappling with restrictions in some form or the other, including 'Janata Curfew' in Jalgaon. Amravati, Aurangabad have also come under the scanner for the coronavirus surge being witnessed there lately. 

Maharashtra on Wednesday recorded a huge spike in the coronavirus infections with 13,659 fresh additions, the highest one-day spike this year, which took the state's caseload to 2,252,057, according to the state health department. With 54 fatalities, the state's death toll stood at 52,610.

On October 8, the state had reported 13,395 cases after which the number of daily cases had declined.