The Centre has once again extended the nationwide lockdown till May 31. The fourth phase of the lockdown has come with a new set of guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The Centre issued the detailed guidelines on Sunday evening.
The Centre has also allowed state governments to decide on the demarcation of coronavirus Red Zones, Orange Zones and Green Zones. This was a longstanding demand of the state governments as many of the chief ministers told the Centre that they were not being consulted for the demarcation.
As Lockdown 4.0 kicks off from Monday, here’s what the new guidelines bring for the country:
1. No flight movement will be allowed. Only those essential flights moving medical goods, equipment or other essential freight will be allowed or those with special permission from the MHA. Domestic air ambulance and evacuation flights will also be permitted.
2. MHA has continued with the restrictions on train movement as well. Only Shramik Special trains, other special trains, parcel and freight services will operate during Lockdown 4.0.
3. All shops, except those in containment zones and malls, will be allowed to open from Monday with staggered timings during Lockdown 4.0. Salons, barbers and spas, except for those in malls, have been allowed to open. These relaxations do not apply to containment zones.
4. All Metro services, including Delhi Metro will remain suspended till May 31. DMRC has issued a statement saying Delhi Metro will remain closed in this period.
5. All social, political, religious functions, and places of worship to remain shut during extended lockdown till May 31.
6. People above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, children aged below 10 shall stay at home.
7. Movement of people will remain strictly prohibited across country from 7 pm to 7 am, except for essential activities. All non-essential activities during these hours will continue to remain prohibited.
8. E-commerce companies that were so far delivering only essential goods, have been permitted to deliver all goods, including those considered non-essential. However, these relaxations are not for the containment zones.
9. Hotels, restaurants, cinema halls, malls, swimming pools, gyms will continue to remain shut till May 31. Restaurants have been allowed to open their kitchens to start takeaway services.
10. MHA has allowed inter-state and intra-state movements of passenger vehicles and buses from areas other than the containment zones. The guidelines also made it clear that bus services will be allowed only with mutual consent of states and union territories involved.
11. About local transport in cities and towns, the Centre has left it to the states to decide on the operation of taxis and autorickshaws.
12. Schools, colleges and educational institutes across the country will remain closed during the extended lockdown till May 31.
13. Sports complexes and stadiums have been allowed to open up. But the government has said no spectators will be allowed for the games.