COVID-19: Streets in Mumbai wear deserted look amid Section 144 imposition

Streets wore a deserted look in Mumbai following the imposition of Section 144 in the entire state by the Maharashtra government in an attempt to curb the spread of the coronavirus. To prevent the COVID-19 surge in the state, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday imposed Section 144 starting from 14 April.

The prohibitory order will be effective from 8 pm on Wednesday till 7 am on 1 May. During this period, only essential services will be allowed, the Chief Minister announced. Under the new guidelines, all establishments, public places, activities will remain closed in the state. Only essential services will be exempted, and their operations to be unrestricted.

The guidelines stated that cinema halls, theatres, auditoriums, amusement parks, gyms, sports complexes will remain closed till Section 144 is imposed in the state. On April 18, as many as 68,631 fresh COVID-19 cases and 503 deaths were reported from Maharashtra in the last 24 hours the highest in the state so far since the pandemic broke out last year.