Bhubaneswar: As the country looks forward to open up the economy while it battles the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday issued unlock 2.0 guidelines which will be in force till July 31.
As per the latest notification, lockdown will only be restricted to containment zones while domestic flight and train services will be expanded in a calibrated manner. All the schools, colleges and coaching institutions will remain closed till July 31, 2020.
The new guidelines will come into effect from July 1.
The 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 the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MOHFW), MHA notification read.
Night Curfew shall continue to remain in force, between 10.00 pm and 5 am, except for essential activities and other relaxation given in Unlock 2. Further, relaxations in night curfew has been extended for seamless operation of industrial units in multiple shifts, movement of persons and goods along National and State Highways, loading and unloading of cargo and movement of persons to their destinations after disembarking from buses, trains and flights.
Earlier on May 30, the government had extended lockdown in the country but with significant relaxations. This phase of re-opening was called 'Unlock 1.0' while religious places, hotels, restaurants, hospitality services and malls were allowed to reopen from June 8 in the country.
All activities, except the following, shall be permitted outside containment zones:
- Metro Rail.
- Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places.
- Social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions and other large congregations.
States to decide on activities outside Containment Zones
- 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.
- However, there shall be no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods. No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit will be required for such movements.