Take a splash: Swimming pools to reopen in Maharashtra

After cinema halls, theatres, multiplexes given the permission to recommence the Maharashtra government on Wednesday also permitted swimming pools and yoga institutes to reopen in the state. The state government declared that the activities will be allowed to run outside containment zones from November 5.

Swimming pools, yoga institutes, theatres, cinema halls were closed since lockdown was imposed in the state to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in March. In October, the state had permitted hotels and bars to reopen.

As per the latest government guidelines, swimming pools used for training of state, national and international-level sportspersons and situated outside containment zones can operate from Thursday. Also, yoga institutes, indoor sports facilities such as badminton halls, squash courts, tennis, indoor shooting ranges will be permitted to operate from November 5. The guidelines stated that physical distancing and sanitisation must be ensured at these places.

The remaining lockdown restrictions have already been extended till November 30 in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, the state witnessed 120 fatalities on Tuesday, against 104 fatalities reported on Monday, taking the state’s death total to 44,248. While, Maharashtra recorded 4,909 fresh on Tuesday taking tally to 16,92,693 till date.