Hours after Maharashtra's chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the state would not allow flights to operate from Monday as it needs more time to prepare for the opening of the aviation sector, the state agreed to allow 25 passenger flights to take off from and as many to land in Mumbai from Monday.

Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik said that the state has agreed to allow 25 take offs and 25 landings every day for domestic flights from Mumbai.

"This number will be increased gradually. State govt will issue details and guidelines in this regard soon," he said.

Thackeray in his address to the state on Sunday said that he spoke to the civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri and requested him to give the state some time prepare in order to resume domestic air travel.

Maharashtra had earlier decided that only flights that are necessary including-- international transfer passengers from cities, medical emergencies and students-- should be allowed to operate.

"We can't say that lockdown will be over by 31st May. We will have to see how we will go forward. The coming time is crucial as multiplication of virus is picking up. I want to assure the medical fraternity that we are with them in all ways," Thackeray said today.

One of the reasons that Maharashtra was dilly-dallying on its decision to allow air travel was also the increasing number of covid-19 cases.