Lockdown 4.0 Guidelines For Shops, Travel, Offices, Night Curfew

The Centre on Sunday extended the nationwide lockdown till May 31, during which flight and Metro services and all kinds of public gatherings will remain barred.

Immediately after the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the nodal department, announced lockdown 4.0 to check the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued fresh guidelines to allow further resumption of economic activities.

The Union home ministry listed the dos and don’ts during the lockdown 4.0.

State and UT Governments shall continue to strictly enforce the lockdown guidelines and they shall not dilute these guidelines issued under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, in any manner, the home ministry said.

The guidelines allowed inter-state and intra-state movements of passenger vehicles and buses from areas other than the containment zones. However, the guidelines made it clear that bus services will be allowed with mutual consent of states and union territories involved.

All necessary standard operating procedures which includes social distancing, wearing of masks, availability of sanitiser need to be ensured.

Domestic air travel of passengers, metro rail will remain closed.

Taking a view of limited air services opened for bringing stranded Indians home and taking people through trains, the centre allowed running of canteens at bus depots, railway stations and canteens.

Further, evacuation of foreign nationals from India, return of stranded Indian nationals from abroad, sign-on and sign-off of Indian seafarers, and intra-State and inter-State movement of stranded persons by bus and train, will continue to be allowed.

Wearing of face covers is compulsory, spitting will be punishable with fine, and social distancing is to be followed by all persons in public places and in transport.

SHOPS

All shops, except those in containment zones and malls, will be allowed to open from Monday with staggered timings during lockdown 4.0 which includes barber shops and parlour except in containment zones.

E-commerce platforms are allowed to deliver all goods, including those considered non-essential, in all areas except containment zones.

Restaurants shall be allowed to operate their kitchen for home delivery of food items.

However, hotels, restaurants, cinema halls, malls, swimming pools, gyms will remain shut even as all social, political, religious functions, and places of worship will be closed till May 31, it said.

Shops of essential commodities have been allowed to open since beginning of the lockdown while neighbourhood shops, standalone shops of non-essential items were allowed to open since May 4.

Delivery of essential goods by e-commerce companies were allowed earlier too.

All shops shall have to ensure 6 feet distance (2 gaz ki doori) among customers; not allow more than 5 persons at one time.

MARKETS

Local authorities should ensure that shops in markets, except in containment zones, open with staggered timings so as to ensure social distancing.

ZONES

The government also decentralised delineation of Red, Green and Orange zones ― marking of areas based on COVID-19 case load ― to state and union territories but said that the same should be done after taking into consideration of parameters shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Allowing the states and union territories to decide of coding of various zones, the home ministry said that inside the red and orange zones, containment and buffer zones will be identified by the district administration or local urban bodies.

Within the containment zones, strict perimeter control shall be maintained, and no movement of persons would be allowed, except for medical emergencies and for maintaining supply of essential goods and services.

Buffer zones are areas around each containment zone, where new cases are more likely to appear. In the buffer zones, more caution needs to be exercised.

States and union territories – based on their assessment of the situation – may prohibit certain other activities in various zones or impose such restrictions as deemed necessary, the order added.

NIGHT CURFEW

Night curfew shall continue to remain in place from 7 PM to 7 AM and local authorities shall ensure strict compliance with it, the order said.

This means movement of people will remain strictly prohibited across country from 7 pm to 7 am, except for essential activities.

THESE GROUPS OF PEOPLE TO STAY AT HOME

The government directed persons above the age of 65 years, persons with co-morbities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years to stay at home as they are more vulnerable to the deadly virus.

INSTITUTIONS

Schools and other educational institutions, hotels, restaurants, gyms shall remain closed and all social, political and religious gatherings will be barred.

WORK

The practice of work from home (WFH) should be followed to the extent possible and staggering of work hours should be adopted in respect of all offices and other establishments.

With a view to ensure safety in offices and work places, employers should encourage installation of Aarogya Setu app by all employees having compatible mobile phones, it said. The use of the app was earlier mandatory for those returning to work.

GATHERINGS

Religious places shall be closed to public and there shall be no congregation allowed.

Rules barring not more than 50 persons for marriage and 20 for funeral will continue to remain in force.

SPORTS

The Centre has opened sports complexes and stadia but banned entry of spectators.

The BCCI will co-ordinate with its state units to ensure that the players get to start skill-based training at local level after the government announced new regulations for the fourth phase of coronavirus-forced lockdown, treasurer Arun Dhumal said on Sunday.