NewDelhi: The third phase of the countrywide lockdown begins today with “considerable relaxations”, but curbs will continue in containment areas so that the gains achieved so far in the fight against COVID-19 are not “squandered away”, officials said Sunday.
The country has been divided into three zones — Red, Orange and Green – based on coronavirus risk-profiling rendering a bit of relaxation during the lockdown. The extended lockdown is slated to last till May 17.
These relaxations will come into force from Monday. Here is a list of what’s banned and what is allowed from today:
Travel by air, rail and metro and inter-state movement of people by road remains banned all over the country. Schools, hotels, restaurants, bars, shopping malls, cinemas and places of worship are also shut nationally.
However, there will be no restriction on the movement of goods between states or on the manufacturing and distribution of essential items.
The Centre has further allowed the state governments to take a call on deciding what needs to be permitted based on the situation in the ground. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his interaction with the chief ministers on April 27, had said that the state governments are the best in judging what should be allowed since they get the ground reports from the district administration.
Thee restrictions in states will be based on the incidence of Covid-19 in different regions, which have been colour-coded accordingly.
Red zones:
All the metro cities, including Delhi, Mumbai Bengaluru – have been designated as red zones where most curbs remain in place. The classification is made based on a number of active coronavirus cases, and the increase in the rate of cases.
In urban red zones that are not marked as containment zones – which are areas sealed off due to coronavirus cases – private offices can open at 33 per cent capacity. Construction activity can also resume, as long as workers reside on-site. Manufacturing of essential goods and IT hardware is permitted. E-commerce activities are only allowed for essential goods, while standalone shops are able to open.
In accordance with that, the Delhi government had on Sunday allowed the opening of standalone liquor shops from Monday. There are 150 such shops, according to news agency PTI, that will remain open till 7 pm.
In rural red zones, all agricultural, construction and industrial activity are permitted.
Orange zones:
In orange zones, all the activities allowed in red zones are permitted. In addition, taxis are allowed, provided they are carrying only two passengers, as is travel between districts for permitted activities.
Green zones:
Areas designated as green zones, or places that have not seen any incidence of Covid-19 in 21 days, are allowed to resume all activities except those prohibited nationally.
Buses are allowed to operate at 50 per cent capacity.