Liquor stores and non-essential shops in Mumbai to be shut from Wednesday

BMC said the move is being taken to avoid overcrowding of people during a pandemic

BMC said the move is being taken to avoid overcrowding of people during a pandemic

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Mumbai Liquor

Mumbai: Two days after allowing the wholesale and retail liquor shops and non-essential shops in Mumbai, the municipal corporation today ordered them to shut operations from Wednesday.

The move, the municipal corporation said, is being taken to avoid overcrowding of people during a pandemic. BMC on Tuesday ordered closure of liquor shops . This is due to overcrowding, people not maintaining social distance and the law and order situation arising as a result.

"There are multiple reports, news in social media and inputs received from the Police and the ward officials that due to above relaxation there has been huge crowds gathering near these shops," said an order signed by Municipal commissioner Parvin Pardeshi.

The order added that due to the gathering of crowd it has been impossible to maintain social distancing and there were few instances of law and order situation arising out of such crowd gathering at one place.

Liquor is a major source of revenue for Maharashtra, which earned about ₹45,000 crore in the form of taxes on it in 2019-20, an official from state excise department said.

Maharashtra on Tuesday reported 841 new covid-19 positive cases taking the state's total tally to 15,525.

Of these, Mumbai alone has recorded 9,945 cases and 387 deaths.

With this move, Mumbai joins the administrations of Solapur, Aurangabad, Jalna, Buldhana and Amravati districts, which had on Monday issued instructions that liquor shops will not be allowed to open.