Sedate Gudi Padwa for Maha as Covid-19 count rises to 122

Fifteen more people across Maharashtra tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, taking the number of such cases in India’s worst-hit state to 122.

Mumbai reported seven cases as its tally rose to 48, while five cases were recorded in Sangli and one each in Kalyan, Kamothe and Navi Mumbai.

The state, on the first day of the 21-day nationwide lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saw deserted national and state highways, barring a few people buying essential commodities in the morning. Gudi Padwa, which marks the Maharashtrian New Year, was a subdued affair with citizens celebrating it in their homes.

Maharashtra had seen the

police using force and resorting to lathicharge on Tuesday, the first day of the lockdown announced by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, which was followed by Modi’s call to lock down the entire nation from Tuesday midnight.

“There were minimal incidents of use of force by the police as we had directed them to be sensitive with people. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar had heard reports of the police beating up people for coming out of their homes. On Wednesday, we saw the expected results of the lockdown, but it was because of the public holiday. We are not sure if it will remain the same on Thursday,” said a senior state bureaucrat on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the public works department (PWD) of the state government identified 22,118 rooms in its buildings across the state that can be turned into medical facilities PWD minister Ashok Chavan said the buildings already have water and electricity supply and can be used as medical set-ups.