Coronavirus Outbreak: Mumbai civic administration allows reopening of standalone electronics, hardware shops during lockdown

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday night amended its previous order and allowed reopening of standalone electronics and hardware shops in the city during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown. Civic commissioner Praveen Pardeshi said there was an urgent need to keep such shops open to some extent. [caption id=“attachment_4259509” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of BMC headquarters. Wikimedia Commons[/caption] “It has been observed that many essential and life- saving medical equipment, IT systems related to health systems and machines, vehicles are in a state of disrepair due to closing down of electronics and hardware shops. “Hence, there was an urgent need to keep such shops open to some extent,” read the BMC’s amended order signed by Pardeshi. Pardeshi directed all assistant commissioners of wards to permit one standalone electronic and hardware shop on each road to remain open during the lockdown. According to BMC officials, in view of the order some electronics and hardware shops could be opened from Thursday. On Tuesday night, Pardeshi, in an order, had directed the closure of all non-essential services, including liquor shops, in the city.