After Maharashtra alert on Delta Plus variant, lockdown tightened in Pune again; curfew after 5 pm

Meanwhile, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation on Saturday also re-imposed restrictions in view of the Delta Plus variant of Covid-19, and issued directives similar to the ones given by the PMC.

PMC staff collect swab samples of super spreaders like shop keepers, fastfood joint vendors, street vegetable sellers on JM road. (Express Photo by Ashish Kale)

After the Maharashtra government sounded an alert over the Delta Plus strain of Covid-19 and urged all districts not to relax lockdown norms further, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Saturday decided to re-impose the curfew in the city from 5 pm and issued directions to stall all permitted activities by 4 pm from Monday.

In a revised order, Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar said, “The lockdown norms have been issued based on the average positivity rate and percentage of occupancy of oxygen beds…”.

“Prohibitory orders will be in place to prevent more than five people from coming together till 5 pm, while there will be complete restriction on free movement of public after 5 pm except for emergency purposes,” he said, adding that the order will also be applicable to Pune Cantonment Board and Kirkee Cantonment Board areas.

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Earlier, the civic body had relaxed lockdown norms by allowing most activities till 7 pm and restaurants to be open till 10 pm for dine-in facility. The PMC decision comes after the state government raised an alert on the Delta Plus variant of Covid-19, after some cases and one death due to the new strain was reported in the state.

From Monday, essential category stores will be open on all days till 4 pm. Non-essential shops will be allowed to operate till 4 pm only on weekdays and will be completely closed on weekends.

Restaurants, bars, food courts can have dine-in facility only on weekdays till 4 pm with 50 per cent sitting capacity. Home delivery and parcel services are allowed till 11 pm on all days of the week. E-commerce services for all products will continue as usual.

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Gardens and grounds have been allowed to be open for walks and cycling while outdoor sports will be permitted only from 5 am to 9 am. The earlier order granting permission for such activities in the evening has been cancelled.

Gyms, salons, beauty parlours and wellness centres are allowed to operate on weekdays till 4 pm with 50 per cent sitting capacity.

All private offices in the exemption category are allowed to function with 50 per cent attendance and till 4 pm on working days, while the same will be applicable for all government offices not under emergency service of Covid-related work. Government offices and emergency services required for Covid-19 management are allowed to operate with 100 per cent capacity.

Social, religious and entertainment functions can be held only on weekdays till 4 pm, with maximum attendance of 50 persons. The programme should not be longer than three hours. There will be complete ban on eating food at the function and violation of any Covid-appropriate behaviour will lead to ban on activities at the location till the end of the pandemic.

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Marriages can take place with maximum attendance of 50 people while 20 people are allowed for the last rites of deceased kin.

PMPML services will be allowed with 50 per cent sitting capacity and no standing passengers.

Also Read | Covid-19: Maharashtra reports first death due to Delta Plus variant, level 3 curbs in place

Industries with export-oriented products, essential goods, continuous process products, items significant for national security and defence, data centres and IT services can operate as usual while other industries can function with 50 per cent of employees.

The PMC has further decided to close coaching classes, training institutes and educational institutes for classroom teaching. All religious places will continue to be closed to the public. Cinema halls will remain closed.

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Meanwhile, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation on Saturday also re-imposed restrictions in view of the Delta Plus variant of Covid-19, and issued directives similar to the ones given by the PMC. The civic administration said from morning till 5 pm, prohibitory orders will remain in force while after 5 pm, curfew will be in place till next morning.

“The Delta Plus variant has spread in some districts of the state. It is predicted that in the next four to six weeks, the situation will turn serious. The state government has therefore directed that lockdown norms should be further tightened to ward off any threat of the third wave,” said Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Patil.

In revised directives, the civic chief said all essential shops will remain open on all days of the week till 4 pm. “Non-essential shops will also remain open till 4 pm from Monday to Friday. They will remain shut on Saturdays and Sundays,” the order said. All shops were allowed to remain open till 7 pm from June 21 as per the earlier order.

“Other industries can operate with 50 per cent of the capacity. But they will have to make travel arrangements of their employees. Their employees can’t use public transport,” stated the order, but this directive drew objections from industrial bodies.

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“We have repeatedly said that industrial employees should be allowed to travel by public transport as small-scale industries can’t afford to hire private buses to ferry their workers,” said Sandeep Belsare, president of Pimpri-Chinchwad Small Scale Industries Association.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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