The government has also decided to ask shops to curtain business timings so large gatherings of people can be avoided.
As the number of positive cases rose to 45 in Maharashtra, the state government said its offices will not work with only 50% of the workforce with employees working on alternate days.
Besides, public transport will also work with 50% passenger capacity, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said after a high-level meeting.
"It has been decided that offices will continue on a day-to-day basis, accounting for 50% of the workforce. Besides, it has been suggested to try to operate 50% passenger capacity of the public transport system including rail, buses and metro," the Maharashtra government said in an order.
The government has also decided to ask shops to curtain business timings with half of them opening in the morning while another half opening in the evening. The decision has been taken so as large gatherings of people can be avoided.
"The shop hours in the city will be decided in such a way that the shops will open in the morning and close in the afternoon. There is no reason to panic as the supply of essential commodities in the state is sufficient and smooth," the order said.
The government has also warned against hoarding of essential items like surgical masks, hand sanitisers and medicines. Those who have been advised home quarantine have to strictly follow the advice, the government said.
While large gatherings of people have been effectively banned, there is no restriction on wedding functions. However, organisers have been asked to keep the gathering very small.
This comes as the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in India climbed to 154 on Wednesday. Among the states, Maharashtra has the highest number of cases at 45, followed by Kerala at 30.
State's health minister Rajesh Tope has announced that seven more laboratories will come up across Maharashtra for testing suspected COVID-19 samples.
At present, three labs are operating in Maharashtra where samples are tested for COVID-19. The centres are Indira Gandhi Government Medical College, Kasturba Hospital for Infectious Diseases and National Institute of Virology in Nagpur, Mumbai and Pune respectively.
"KEM Hospital, JJ Hospital and Haffkine Institute will soon get the testing facilities. Most likely they will commence operations in the next five days," Tope told reporters, adding that similar laboratories will come up in different parts of the state.
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