The State Government has issued guidelines for opening of hotels and hospitality services, restaurants, shopping malls and religious places in the state from Monday. While none of these will be allowed to open in containment zones and in the municipal area of Dehradun, in other areas these will be allowed to open with observance of detailed guidelines to ensure social distancing, hygiene and other aspects to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Regarding the Char Dham shrines, the Char Dham Devsthanam Board in consultation with the respective district administration and other stakeholders, may decide to open and put necessary restrictions in place in the interest of public health. However, wide publicity in advance, regarding the restrictions on public darshan and worship protocol shall be made. Pilgrims from outside the state will not be allowed for now.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines for Unlock-1, hotels and hospitality services, restaurants, shopping malls and religious places/places of worship will be allowed to open from June 8.
Issuing guidelines for this on Sunday evening, the State government has directed that all hotels and hospitality services shall be allowed to open in the state. However, all such enterprises in containment zones of the state and municipal area of Dehradun shall remain closed till further orders. Hotel management shall not entertain bookings from high-load Covid-19 infected cities of other states while ensuring minimum seven days booking of persons from non high load cities. Hotels will take a written undertaking from customers that they will not visit any public premises or tourist attractions in State during their stay in the hotel. Additionally, the hospitality enterprises will strictly adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) prepared by the state’s tourism department.
All restaurants except in containment zones and municipal area of Dehradun will be allowed to open from 7 Am to 7 PM. Restaurant owners shall ensure a record of all customers and waiters specifying the date the time. Additionally, the restaurant management shall also strictly adhere to the SOPs prepared by the tourism department. Similarly, malls will be allowed to open from 7 AM to 7 PM except in containment zones and municipal area of Dehradun.
Prior to opening, the mall management shall give an undertaking to the district administration regarding the measures taken for preventing the spread of Covid-19 and strict adherence to guidelines issued by CPWD for air-conditioning and those issued by MoHFW and MHA for norms of safety and social distancing. Only 50 per cent of the shops in a mall will be opened on any given day till further orders. The district administration in consultation with the mall management, may decide to put necessary restrictions on the maximum number of people to be allowed in the interest of public health. The malls will strictly adhere to SOPs issued by MoHFW.
Regarding religious places and places of worship, the boards/trusts/management committees will be allowed to open such sites from 7 AM to 7 PM. However, all such sites in containment zones and municipal area of Dehradun will remain closed till further orders. The district administration in consulation with the managing bodies concerned may decide to put necessary restrictions in place in the interest of public health. The restrictions shall be widely publicised in advance. Regarding the Char Dham shrines, the Devsthanam Board in consultation with district administration and other stakeholders may decide to open and put necessary restrictions in place. The restrictions shall be publicised widely in advance. Additionally, pilgrims from outside the state shall not be allowed till further orders. Further, the management of religious places shall strictly adhere to the SOP issued by MoHFW.
In all the enterprises and places being allowed to open from Monday, guidelines regarding social distancing and hygiene among others will have to be observed. Those aged above 65 and below 10, those with co-morbidities and pregnant women are advised to stay at home.