The Centre on Wednesday released guidelines for Unlock 3, the third phase of lifting of restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The guidelines will come into effect from August 1.
Under the new advisory, night curfew will no longer remain in force and gyms and yoga institutes have been allowed to resume services from August 5. The new guidelines allow more activities outside containment zones. However, the lockdown in containment areas has been extended till August 31.
The Ministry of Home Affairs listed a few activities and said that everything else except for those forbidden may be allowed outside containment zones.
What will be allowed
- Movement of individuals during the night.
- Yoga institutes and gymnasiums will be allowed to resume services from August 5.
- Independence Day functions will be allowed with physical distancing and by following other health protocols.
- International air travel of passengers has been permitted in a limited manner under the Vande Bharat mission. Further opening up will occur in a calibrated manner.
- All other activities except those specifically forbidden under “Unlock 3” guidelines.
What will remain shut
- Metro rail operations.
- Schools, colleges and coaching institutions will remain closed till August 31.
- Places that involve large gatherings, including swimming pools, entertainment parks, cinema halls, theatres, bars, auditoriums.
- Social/political/sports/entertainment/academic/cultural/religious functions and other large congregations.
The Union home ministry said that the dates for reopening the activities will be decided separately “on the assessment of the situation”.
“Containment Zones are required to be carefully demarcated by the State/UT Governments with a view to contain the spread of COVID-19, after taking into consideration the guidelines issued by MOHFW,” the Centre said. “Within the containment zones, strict perimeter control shall be maintained and only essential activities allowed.”
Activities will also be strictly monitored in the containment zones, the ministry mandated. “States and UTs, based on their assessment of the situation, may prohibit certain activities outside the Containment zones, or impose such restrictions as deemed necessary,” the government said.
However, there will be no restriction on inter-State and intra-state movement of persons and goods, and no separate permission will be required for such movements.
On June 29, the guidelines for “Unlock 2” or the second phase of lifting restrictions was announced. Under those norms, the government had shortened night curfew timings. Under the “Unlock 1” phase that began on June 1, the Centre had allowed hotels, malls and places of worship to reopen, subject to state approval.
India’s coronavirus tally on Wednesday morning crossed the 15 lakh-mark with 48,513 new cases. The toll rose to 34,193 with 768 fresh fatalities. India now has over five lakh active cases while more than 9.8 lakh patients have recovered.
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