Mumbai: Faced with the Omicron wave, the Maharashtra government has introduced measured curbs aimed at controlling crowds and pushing for vaccinations, but sparing the economic engine. The restrictions, which will come into force on Monday, include a night curfew from 11pm to 5am where moving out is allowed only for essential purposes. Also, no movement will be allowed in groups of five or more people from 5 am to11 pm.

Gyms, beauty salons, spas, swimming pools and wellness centres will be shut. However, hair-cutting salons are allowed to operate at 50% capacity, though they must close between 10 pm and 7 am.

Entertainment parks, zoos, museums, forts and tourist spots will be closed. Schools and colleges in the state have to remain closed till February 15. BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal said the restrictions will apply to Mumbai as they are.

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Mumbai: The state government has allowed malls, markets and restaurants to operate at 50% capacity. Cinemas and drama theatres have also been allowed 50% capacity. The only riders are that those entering have to be fully vaccinated and that all these establishments have to close between 10 pm and 8 am.

Private offices have been advised to keep attendance at 50% and offer flexible and staggered timings to keep crowding down. Government offices will not be allowed visitors without the permission of the head of the office.

“We don’t want to shut down livelihoods but to curtail crowds. We do not want to impose a lockdown and close down everything,” said chief minister Uddhav Thackeray in a statement. “But no restrictions will be effective unless we all adhere to Covid protocols,” he added.

The new notification gets tougher on vaccinations. Although construction and industrial activities as well as cargo transport activities are allowed, these are only for the fully vaccinated. Only fully vaccinated people can attend private offices. Also, besides those working in malls and restaurants, now people engaged in e-commerce and home delivery have to be fully vaccinated as well. Additional restrictions can be enforced separately for districts with low vaccination coverage.

Those in the gym and beauty parlour trade are upset. Anita Mohan Salunke, who runs Plush Hema’s Salon in Khar, said, “It is middle-class ladies like me who make up the largest number of beauticians in the city. The big chains are but a few. I trained and worked at a big salon, took a shop on a rent of Rs 1. 65 lakh and started my business. How will I survive if we face another closure?”

Haami Basan of Planet Muscle gymnasium in Andheri West, said, “Another closure will drive the final nail into the coffin for many gyms. Business is at an all-time low with prolonged shutdowns, monthly rent amounts of Rs 4-5 lakh, salaries and overhead costs.”

Restaurants had been allowed to revert to pre-Coronavirus pandemic timings in November 2021, and the trade is hopeful the timings will be extended once again. “In Mumbai we had been allowed to stay open till 1:30 am. Now it’s back to 10 pm. We support the government in the fight against Covid but we hope timings are extended once again,” said Shivanand Shetty, president of the Indian Hotels and Restaurant Association.