The Maharashtra government on Saturday announced a complete ban on all types of gatherings, including political and religious, to arrest the fresh surge in Covid cases.

The government also ordered that restaurants, gardens and malls will remain shut between 8pm and 7am beginning Saturday night. People will also not be allowed to visit beaches during that time.

Drama theatres will remain shut from Saturday night. However, the delivery of food at night has been exempted.

Violation of the guidelines will attract a penalty of Rs 1,000. “Gatherings of more than five people will not be allowed from 8pm to 7am effective from midnight on 27th March. Violation will attract penalty of Rs 1,000 per person on offenders. “All public places, including gardens and beaches, will remain closed during the same period and violators will be fined with Rs 1,000 per person. Not wearing face mask will attract Rs 500 fine while the same is Rs 1,000 for public spitting,” the order stated.

It said that holding of social, cultural, political and religious gatherings in the state is being banned completely. Auditoriums or drama theatres should not allow their property to be used for such events, it said.