Since February, Maharashtra has been avoiding a complete lockdown when the spike started, but now with the number of daily infections not going down, the Cabinet is in favour of a longer and stricter lockdown.

Maharashtra ministers have confirmed that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is likely to announce whether the state needs to be placed under a strict lockdown in his address scheduled after 8pm on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the issue of a stricter lockdown was discussed in the Cabinet where the majority was in favour of a long lockdown in the state, extending for a week or two, instead of night curfew or the imposition of Section 144.

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Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said, “Tomorrow after 8 pm, the Chief Minister will announce the decision on lockdown in the state. We have requested the CM to announce a complete lockdown in the state from tomorrow at 8 pm. This was the request of all ministers to the chief minister. Now it is his decision.”

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Maharashtra urban development minister Eknath Shinde said that there is no way out other than a complete lockdown as the health infrastructure of the state is under severe strain. He added, “We have demanded complete lockdown in today’s cabinet meeting. The cases are increasing. There is a scarcity of oxygen. There is no way out other than a complete lockdown.”

Food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal said, “We have made all the efforts to minimize the Covid-19 figures. He will announce the decision (to impose lockdown) tomorrow after finalizing a detailed Standard Operating Procedure.”

On Tuesday, Maharashtra has reported 62,907 fresh Covid-19 cases and 519 deaths. The health department clarified that out of 519 deaths, over 200 were from last week and before, but were added to the toll on Tuesday. The number of active cases in the state stands at 6, 83,856.