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After nearly two months of strict lockdown-type restrictions, the Maharashtra government has decided to cautiously initiate a five-phased Unlock 2.0 from Monday (June 7), starting with 18 of the state's 36 districts, officials said here on Saturday.

In the first phase, it will take effect in: Aurangabad, Bhandara, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Dhule, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Jalgaon, Jalna, Latur, Nagpur, Nanded, Nashik, Parbhani, Thane, Washim, Wardha and Yavatmal districts.

The decision comes after detailed deliberations of over a week by state Disaster Management Unit with all other concerned departments and stakeholders, as per a detailed notification issued by the CMO early on Saturday.

The state has been divided into 48 units as per districts and municipal corporations, and five levels, depending on the positivity rate and occupancy of oxygenated beds.

Both, Mumbai and Pune, among the worst-affected do not figure in the list yet.

Suburban local trains will not be thrown open for the general public in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region of Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad.

Districts with a case positivity rate of 5 per cent or less and occupancy of hospital beds is less than 25 per cent will come under Level 1.

These districts shall be completely unlocked with all activities continuing normally including transport, shops, restaurants, malls, theatres, cultural events, sports, industries, government and private offices, construction activities, weddings and funerals, as in the past.