Cinemas to reopen in Maharashtra from Thursday with 50% capacity

No eatables permitted, can run only outside containment zones

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday permitted theatres including single-screen, multiplex and drama halls to reopen from Thursday, adding that they could function outside containment zones only.

No eatables would be allowed inside cinema and drama halls. And detailed standard operating procedures would be issued by the state cultural affairs department, taking into account the guidelines by the ministry of information and broadcasting earlier, the notification issued by the state government said.

Maharashtra along with Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were not part of the first phase of cinema reopenings, which happened on October 15.

Subsequently, Tamil Nadu said it would reopen