Mumbai: As Maharashtra is seeing a spiralling rise in COVID-19 cases, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is likely to announce a decision about lockdown across the state on Wednesday after 8 pm.

Earlier, yesterday, Maharashtra Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal had said: "We have made all the efforts to minimise the COVID-19 figures. He (CM Uddhav Thackeray) will announce the decision (to impose lockdown) tomorrow (Wednesday) after finalising a detailed Standard Operating Procedure”, adding that  “We may have to impose restrictions on the local train movement in Mumbai too.”

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said “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," Tope had said.

"We have not yet received any letter from the Centre about the vaccination program for those above 18 years. The Chief Minister has said that the vaccination drive will be conducted in full swing and if needed we will take permission from the Centre to purchase vaccines from other countries,” added the state Health Minister.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde too underlined the necessity of lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We have demanded complete lockdown…The cases are increasing. There is a scarcity of oxygen. There is no way out other than a complete lockdown," Shinde told reporters.

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