Mumbai restaurants, bars allowed to open till 1.30 am with 50% capacity

'Big relief', says industry association about municipality order that doesn't apply for celebrations tonight

Mumbai Police on Friday issued an order prohibiting people from public places between 5 pm and 5 am daily till January 15 in view of the rising Covid cases even as Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) allowed restaurants and bars to operate with 50 per cent capacity till 1.30 am. 

DCP (operations) S Chaitanya issued the order under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which came into force from 1 pm on Friday and will be effective till January 15, unless withdrawn earlier.

“In light of the increase in cases and emergence of the new Omicron variant, and with a