The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced categorization of various areas into red and non-red zones for the purpose of allowing or restricting business and other activities in view of coronavirus pandemic.

The government on Tuesday issued new guidelines which would come into effect from May 22. During the earlier phases of lockdown, the state (as other parts of the country) were divided into red, orange and green zones.

The Municipal corporations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (which includes Mumbai, Thane and surrounding towns), as well as civic bodies of Pune, Solapur, Aurangabad, Malegaon, Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon, Akola and Amravati fall in the red zone, it said.

All these areas have high number of coronavirus cases.

All the remaining areas of the state fall in non-red zone, an official statement said.

The government had declared on Sunday that lockdown will continue till May 31.

In both red and non-red zones, municipal/district authorities will demarcate containment zones.

Municipal commissioners and district collectors will have the power to identify residential colonies, mohallas, slums, buildings or groups of buildings, lanes, wards, police station areas, villages or small clusters of villages as containment zones.

But for declaring larger areas, such as a whole taluka or municipal corporation, as containment zones, they will have to consult the Chief Secretary of the state.

In containment zones only essential activities will be allowed. No movement of people in and out of these zones will be allowed except for medical emergencies and maintaining supply of essential goods.

Shops, malls, commercial establishments and industries in the red zone, which are nor allowed to operate, can remain open between 9 am to 5 pm only for upkeep and maintenance of materials, furniture, plant and machinery and pre-monsoon protection of property and goods.

No production and commercial activity will be allowed, the guidelines said.

However, home delivery from restaurants and kitchens will be allowed.

In non-red zones, no permission will be needed from any government authority to undertake or perform permitted activities.

Sports complexes, stadiaumsand other public open spaces will be permitted to remain open for individual exercises but group activities and events involving spectators will not be allowed.

Physical exercises and other activities will be allowed provided social distancing is followed.

Markets and shops in non-red zones will remain open from 9 am to 5 pm, and if there is crowding or violation of social distancing norms, they will be closed down, the guidelines warned.

In red zones, all government offices including sub-registrar and Regional Transport Offices, offices of university/colleges for non-teaching work, staff involved in evaluation of answer sheets, declaration of results and development of e-content will function at five per cent strength or with minimum of 10 employees, which ever is more, the guidelines said.

As of Monday evening, Maharashtra had recorded 35,058 coronavirus cases, the highest in the country.