The Union Home Ministry on Monday announced guidelines for Unlock 2.0 and said it has decided to open up more activities outside the containment zones, while maintaining that there shall remain strict enforcement of lockdown in the containment zones.
The new guidelines issued on Monday for Unlock 2.0 will come into effect from July 1. The government said with this, the process of phased re-opening of activities in the country has been further extended.
MHA in a statement said, "The new guidelines are based on feedback received from states and UTs, and extensive consultations held with related central ministries and department."
The central government's announcement of Unlock 2.0 comes at a time when three of the most affected states--Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal--have announced an extension of the lockdown. The Maharashtra government today issued an order saying lockdown in the state has been extended till July 31.
WHAT WILL BE OPEN IN UNLOCK 2.0:
1) As per the Unlock 2.0 guidelines issued today, domestic flights and passenger trains will continue to be allowed to operate in the country in a limited manner. The government has said it will further expand their operations in a "calibrated manner".
2) In Unlock 2.0, the government has said it is further relaxing the timing of night curfew. The new timings for night curfew are: 10 pm to 5 am.
"Further, relaxations in night curfew have been given for seamless operation of industrial units in multiple shifts, movement of persons and goods on national and state highways, loading and unloading of cargo and movement of persons to their destinations after disembarking from buses, trains and airplanes," the Unlock 2.0 guidelines said.
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3) The government has given some relaxations to the number of people that can be present inside a shop at a time. In Unlock 2.0, shops depending upon their area, can have more than five people persons at a time. However, all of them will have to maintain adequate physical distance.
4) Training institutions of the central and state governments will be allowed to function from July 15 onwards. The government said SOP in this regard will be issued by the Department of Personnel and Training.
5) In regards to international air travel, the Unlock 2,0 guidelines say these air travels have been allowed in a limited manner under the Vande Bharat mission. However, further opening up will take place in a calibrated manner.
WHAT WILL REMAIN CLOSED:
1) The government has said after extensive consultations with state and Union territories, it has decided that schools, colleges, and coaching institutions will remain closed till July 31.
2) Metro rail services, cinema halls, gyms, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls, and similar places will continue to remain closed under Unlock 2.0.
3) Besides this, any social, political, academic, cultural or religious function or any other form of large congregation will not be allowed in Unlock 2.0.
Dates for the opening of these will be decided separately, based on the assessment of the situation, the government said.
Besides this, the Home Ministry said areas that have been marked as containment zones will continue to remain under strict lockdown till July 31.
"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 Union Health Ministry. Within the containment zones, strict perimeter control shall be maintained and only essential activities allowed," the guidelines state.
However, the state/UT governments have been authorized to decide on which activities should be outside containment zones.
The Unlock 2,0 guidelines say that based on their assessment, states/UTs 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."