The nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the Coronavirus was recently extended toll May 17, with the third phase beginning from today. In lieu of that, the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a new set of guidelines, which are set to contain certain relaxations across the country.
Truck drivers in India are asking for your help. Please donate now: https://bit.ly/2RweeKH
The nation has been divided into three zones, Red, Orange and Green, and the Centre has issued guidelines about the relaxations on the basis of the severity of the disease in these zones. The rules are stated to be followed till May 17.
Lockdown 3.0 Guidelines: What is allowed
- All salons and barber shops are allowed to function in Green and Orange zones in the country.
- All commercial vehicles involved in the movement of goods (essential and non-essential) will be allowed to ply with no restrictions.
- Standalone liquor stores are allowed to reopen in all zones in the country with certain regulations for social distancing in place.
- Sale and supply of non-essential items via e-commerce organisations has been allowed in the Green and Orange zones only.
- Outdoor Patient Departments (OPDs) in hospitals and clinics to start functioning in all the three zones in the country, except for in containment zones.
- Domestic help is to be allowed to go back to work in all zones. In the Red zone, however, entry of domestic help will be under the discretion of the RWAs.
- Inter-district movement of people and vehicles for permitted activities, 4 wheelers with 2 passengers besides driver, pillion riding on 2 wheelers are allowed. In the Red zone, four wheelers will be allowed to ply with a maximum of 2 people besides the driver, and no pillion rider on two-wheelers.
- Industrial establishments in urban areas, like Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Export Oriented Units (EOUs), industrial estates and industrial townships with access control have been permitted in all zones, with exception of containment areas.
- In the Red zones, private offices are allowed to resume work with up to 33% of the strength.
- In the Orange zones, taxi and cab aggregators have been allowed to resume operation, with 2 passengers allowed in the vehicle besides the driver.
Lockdown 3.0 Guidelines: What is not allowed
- Public gatherings will remain prohibited across the country, including malls, cinema halls, etc. This is applicable to all zones.
- Ban on travel by airways and railways, along with inter-state travel by private vehicles, except for special purposes with a permit from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Educational institutions such as schools, universities, coaching centres etc., will remain closed and non-functional throughout the country.
- Hotels, restaurants, bars and other hospitality services are also prohibited from functioning.
- All social, political, cultural and religious gatherings are prohibited. Communal worshipping in public areas has also been banned.
- Movement of people in all zones between 7 pm to 7 am for non-essential activities has been banned.
- People above the age of 65, pregnant women, people with existing health conditions and children below the age of 10 are not allowed to venture outside, except for essential and emergency needs.
- In Red Zones (outside the containment areas), some additional activities are prohibited: plying of cycle rickshaws and auto-rickshaws, taxis and cab-aggregators; intra-district and inter-district buses; barber shops, spas and saloons.