India’s presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20) comes at a critical juncture; even as the pandemic wanes, geopolitical tensions between the US and China
Roads and footpaths continued to be deserted on Wednesday
MUMBAI: The state cabinet on Wednesday unanimously decided to extend the lockdownlike restrictions in Maharashtra for another fortnight, that is, from May 1 to 15, after the current fortnight of curbs ends at the end of this month. The decision came on a day the state recorded 985 Covid deaths, its highest daily toll since the start of the pandemic.
While public health minister Rajesh Tope said all cabinet ministers were unanimous that the curbs be extended to check the spread of Covid-19, NGOs working for the poor and representatives of the retail sector and restaurants said the restrictions were having a serious adverse impact and they had expected some relief.
Migrants throng Mumbai’s Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, hoping to take trains back home. Many don’t have ration cards and are not eligible for govt aid (PTI)
MUMBAI: Soon after the stringent 15-day restrictions were announced, the shop stocking wooden beams where Munna Yadav worked as a loader shut. Fortunately, he had already bought a train ticket in black to UP’s Kushinagar and managed to board the train at 1am on Wednesday.
“It was difficult to get into the station because of the crowds, but I managed because I had a ticket,” said Yadav, who ended up paying Rs 2,300 to a tout for a ticket worth Rs 450.