No free entry to/from Maha, Chhattisgarh
A day after the guidelines by the Centre on opening up economic activities, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, UP, Karnataka, Bihar, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, have come out with fresh guidelines extending the lockdown in the containment zones till June 30 and allowing opening of economy in phased wise manner.
Inter-state travel by road, air and trains from Maharashtra will remain prohibited in the latest phase of the lockdown until June 30 with exceptions being made for migrant workers, stranded people and 'Shramik' special trains, as per the latest guidelines issued on Sunday. The Chhattisgarh Government on Sunday said inter-state travel without requisite permission from authorities will continue to remain prohibited.
Maharashtra, which is worst affected from coronavirus, extended till June 30 the lockdown and announced easing of restrictions and phase-wise resumption of activities under the “Mission Begin Again”. As per the revised guidelines issued on Sunday, all markets, market areas and shops, except malls, will be allowed to function from June 5 on odd-even basis. While all private offices can operate with up to 10 per cent their employee strength as per the requirement from June 8 with others working from home. This will exclude containment zones.
Under ‘Mission Begin Again’, outdoor physical activities like morning walks, cycling will be allowed. Self employed persons like plumbers, electricians, pest control staff and technicians will be allowed to work, but they will have to follow social distancing norms.
Garages can also function and customers can visit them with prior appointment.
All Government offices will be able to function with 15 per cent strength, the order said as part of the phase 1 of the “Mission Begin Again” which comes into effect on June 3. Starting June 5, standalone markets and shops will be permitted to open on odd-even basis. Taxis, rickshaws and cab aggregators will be permitted to ply with two passengers instead of one.
The Uttar Pradesh Government’s fresh guidelines said State offices will open with full strength. It also allowed salons and supermarkets to open but with riders. However, people from Delhi’s containments zones cannot enter Noida and Ghaziabad. It has allowed inter-State and intra-State travel but left it to the district administrations of Ghaziabad and Noida to take a call on the movement of people from adjoining New Delhi. The order said there is no need for a separate approval or an e-permit for this.
As per the guidelines, all Government offices will operate with 100 per cent workforce. Staggered timings will be followed from 9 am to 5 pm, 10 am to 6 pm and 11 am to 7 pm to limit the spread of coronavirus. In the first phase of relaxations, religious places, hotels, restaurants and shopping malls will reopen in the State from June 8. In the second phase, educational institutions will be allowed to re-open in July depending on the guidelines of the Central Government in this regard. All markets will remain open from 9 am to 9 pm on a rotational basis.
Super markets are allowed to open with conditions of social distancing and other precautionary measures. Weekly markets allowed in rural areas. Salons and beauty parlours are allowed to remain open with conditions of social distancing and other precautionary measures.
Rajasthan, Bihar, Telangana and Gujarat also announced relaxations in lockdown with effect from Monday. Tamil Nadu also extended the lockdown till June 30 but announced significant relaxations, including resumption of limited public transport except in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu and non-containment zones. Places of worship, hill stations, malls, amusement parks, auditoriums, resorts, lodges and the like shall remain closed for public and tourists. No large congregations would be permitted and the prohibitory orders would remain in place till June 30.
On the other hand, the Rajasthan Government on Sunday announced to have full attendance in Government and private sectors but continued the ban on opening religious places, hotels and malls in the next phase of the lockdown, starting on June 1 and lasting till June 30.
In its fresh guidelines issued at the end of the fourth phase of lockdown, the State Government also allowed private and commercial transport vehicle to carry passengers up to their full capacity, but no more. The city buses, however, were yet not allowed to ply.
The Karnataka Government has also extended lockdown measures till 30 June. According to the new guidelines, hotels, restaurants, malls and religious places outside of containment zones will be allowed to open from June 8. A decision on reopening educational institutions will be taken in July.