CELEBRATE LOW KEY NEW YEAR, STATE ADVISES

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has issued fresh guidelines asking people to welcome the new year from home and avoid stepping out as far as possible.

The guidelines also urged citizens to keep the new year celebrations low key. The directives have been issued amid concerns of a spike in Covid cases owing to the outbreak of the Omicron variant.

The guidelines were issued by the state home department on Wednesday.

It reminded the order issued by the state Disaster Management Authority on December 24 and said that a night curfew has already been imposed prohibiting gathering of five or more people at places between 9pmto6am.

“People up to 25 per cent of the total capacity can come together to celebrate the New Year event at an open space, while for events to be organised in a closed enclosure, people up to 50 per cent of the total capacity will be allowed. But there should be no crowds and social distancing should be maintained along with masks, sanitizers and other Covid appropriate norms,” states the order.

The state government asked citizens above 60 years of age and children below ten years of age to avoid stepping out of their homes. They have also asked people not to crowd beaches, gardens, parks and roads during the night of December 31 especially popular destinations in Mumbai such as Gateway of India, Marine Lines, Chowpatty and Juhu beaches.

The state home department guidelines also said that no religious or cultural programmes or marches be organised. They asked people not to visit religious places.