On Tuesday, the Home Ministry issued guidelines for enforcing the second phase of the coronavirus lockdown, with the Union home ministry barring all kinds of public transport and prohibiting opening of public places during this period.
According to the guidelines, the activities like agriculture, IT, e-commerce and inter-state transport will be allowed after April 20. Inter-state, inter-district movement of people, metro, bus services continue will be prohibited till May 3.
Educational institutions, coaching centres, domestic, international air travel, train services will also remain suspended till this time, it said. Public places like cinema halls, malls, shopping complexes, gymnasiums, sports complexes, swimming pools, bars will also be shut till May 3, the new lockdown period declared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. All social, political, sports, religious functions, religious places, places of worship shall be closed for public till May 3, it said.
The guidelines further states that Highway ‘dhabas’, truck repairing shops, call centres for government activities to remain open from April 20. It also states that Print media and electronic media will be allowed to operate.
Grocery stores, fruit, vegetables shops or carts, milk booths, poultry, meat and fish shops to remain open during lockdown. Services provided by self-employed electricians, IT repairs, plumbers, motor mechanics, carpenters to be allowed from April 20.
According to the guidelines from Home Ministry, agricultural, horticultural, farming, procurement of agri products, ‘mandis’ will also operate after April 20. Shops of farm machinery, its spare parts, supply chain, repairs, ‘Custom Hiring Centres’ related to machinery will also remain open.” Shops of farm machinery, its spare parts, supply chain, repairs, ‘Custom Hiring Centres’ related to machinery will remain open from 20 April.
The nation-wide lockdown is aimed to contain the spread of the pandemic that has killed over 370 people and infected over 11,000 in the country. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the nationwide lockdown for another 19 days till May 3. He also proposed certain relaxations after April 20 in places with no hotspots as also which have less likelihood to turn into a hotspot.
In a 25-minute televised address on the last day of the ongoing three-week lockdown, he said extensive guidelines on the second phase of the lockdown will be issued on Wednesday, asserting that his biggest priority is to save lives and minimise the hardships being faced by daily wagers and farmers.
