Movie theaters will be allowed to operate at 50% of their capacity outside the containment zones (Representational)
Bombay:
Movie theaters are finally scheduled to reopen Thursday in Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra after months of closure in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes movie theaters, theaters and multiplexes outside of the containment zones.
However, they will be allowed to run at only 50% capacity under the circumstances. No food will be allowed inside, a government notification issue said today.
This is apart from all the covered stadiums, pools and yoga institutes, again external containment zones, which will be able to function from Thursday onwards, according to the notification. All these facilities must strictly respect the rules of social distancing and sanitation.
“The SOP for the same will be issued by the department of cultural affairs and local authorities,” said the notice signed by Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar.
On October 14, the Union government allowed the reopening of multiplex cinemas, cinemas and theaters with strict standard operating procedures (SOPs). Then the Interior Ministry had left it up to the states to make final decisions on the matter, based on specific situations.
Following this, the Maharashtra government reportedly started to formulate standard operating procedures. With over 600 cinemas in Maharashtra, over 200 in Mumbai alone, the region is a key market for the Indian film industry, particularly Bollywood.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra is one of the states hardest hit by the pandemic with 44,128 deaths reported so far amid 1.7 million cases in total.
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