Some of the essential services that will be excluded from the shut down are providing drinking water, banking services, telephone and internet services, railway and transportation services, food, vegetables and groceries, hospitals, medical centres and medical stores and electricity, said Uddhav Thackeray.

"This is not a holiday. This has been forced upon us. Do not cut salaries of those made to stay home," said the chief minister. The order is set to come into force from midnight tonight till 31 March.

Earlier BMC took to Twitter to state that while most corporates have started operating at 50 percent capacity, not all have. They asked people to dial 100 if an employer does not follow the advisory given out by the government.

With 49 cases tested positive Maharashtra is on high alert.