India's Financial capital, Mumbai, and the state it lies in, Maharashtra, prepares for the third wave of the COVID pandemic after being the epicenter of the second wave.

Maharastra, also India's richest state, has so far reported more than 5.4 million cases which have caused recorded deaths of more than 82,000 people. Due to the inaccessible testing in the rural parts of the country, it has been estimated that the situation is far worse than what is being seen at the surface.

Ministers of the state, including Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, have been discussing various ways to respond to an impending third wave, Aaditya Thackeray, tourism and environment minister for Maharashtra said.

“For the third wave, we are preparing for three major things,” said Aditya, who is also the chief minister’s son.

There have been predictions from local experts that the third wave of the Pandemic could be sometime between September and October. 

The state is ramping up efforts to ensure there are adequate hospital beds, oxygen supply as well as intensive care units.

Second, it is also deciding on social guidelines such as the need for wearing multiple masks, Aditya said.

“The third thing, of course, is the corporate response. Because industries have to go, work has to go on. That’s how we are trying to prepare for this third wave,” he added.