BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday relaxed the cap on maximum gathering for marriage ceremonies, funerals and other social functions in the city to 250 from existing 50.
The fresh relaxation will come into effect from November 1. Issuing an order to this effect, the civic authorities said it has withdrawn the restrictions related to gathering and the total number of persons to be allowed in these functions due to the improving Covid scenario.
The daily case positivity rate in the city has now remained less than two per cent. The city reported 143 cases against 9,247 tests on Friday and the positivity rate stood at 1.52 per cent. The infection rate was almost equal on Saturday with a daily infection count of 140.
The number of active cases has also come down in the city below 3,000 following the recovery of 261 people in the last 24 hours. Bhubaneswar now has 2,893 active cases. The civic body had imposed a cap on maximum gathering in the city to 50 on October 10 in view of the festival season.
With the restrictions relaxed, the September guidelines and further orders related to Covid-19 safety measures and social distancing issued by the Special Relief Commissioner will be in force, BMC officials said. While hoteliers, caterers and event organisers have welcomed the decision, lifting of curbs raises apprehension of a further spike in cases due to complacency by people in following Covid safety norms.
BMC officials, however, said that the guidelines issued by the Municipal Corporation for Kartika month, Boita Bandana and other rituals will remain in place. The November Covid-19 guidelines of the State government are likely to be issued on Sunday.