maharashtra chief minister uddhav thackeray on monday said that lockdown restrictions will not be relaxed in the state, owing to the continuing surge of cases. While extending the lockdown till May 31, the Centre had on sunday, announced a slew of relaxations in guidelines in a bid to resume economic activity. thackeray, however, maintained that while too many curbs will not be eased in red zones, orange and green zones will see a graded resumption of work.

"Even though we haven't broken the chain, we have certainly stopped it from multiplying. Yes, we still have green, orange, red zones. We will not be able to afford too many exemptions in red zones," he said while addressing the state. When asked when the lockdown will end, uddhav thackeray, who was elected as an MLC on monday, said that no one has an answer to the question. "We will only give relaxations when the number of coronavirus cases starts coming down. Anyone would be concerned by the number of cases in Maharashtra. They will ask what we are doing to stop it. Hence, it is difficult to lift curbs in orange zones presently," the chief minister said.

Speaking exclusively with india Today tv, uddhav thackeray said, "People ask me why are you not lifting the lockdown...see what happened in the US, UK or Brazil. I won't allow that to happen in Maharashtra." While other states have largely restricted activity in containment zones, uddhav thackeray said that industries are not being allowed to open in red zones in the state as any new infections found there will undo the gains made during the lockdown. uddhav thackeray also reached out to industries for revival of the economy during the fourth phase of the lockdown and appealed to people to make the state "Atmanirbhar" or self- reliant by resuming the industrial activity. In his televised address to the people, a day after the state government extended the coronavirus-induced lockdown till May 31, thackeray said that 50,000 industrial units have already resumed their activities in the state.