The Punjab government on Friday has issued a set of new guidelines for Unlock 3 as part of the reopening of the economy in a staggered due. According to the new guidelines, night curfew will remain enforced from 11 pm to 5 am in the state. Gyms and yoga institutes are permitted to open August 5 onward.
The following activities outside Containment Zones shall not be permitted:
(i) Schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutions will remain closed till 31st August 2020. Online/distance learning shall continue to be permitted and shall be encouraged.
(ii) International air travel of passengers, except as permitted by MHA.
(iii) Metro Rail.
(iv) Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls, and similar places.
Yoga institutes and gymnasiums will be allowed to function from 5th August 2020 for which, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
(v) Social/political/sports/entertainment/academic/cultural/religious functions and other large congregations.
Guidelines for areas outside containment zones
In supersession of all the previous guidelines, the guidelines as under would be applicable to the areas outside the containment zones in the state during Unlock-3.
(1) Night curfew (11 pm to 5 am):
Movement of individuals for all the non-essential activities shall remain prohibited between 11.00 pm to 5.00 am throughout The State.
However, essential activities including operation of multiple shifts, movement of persons and goods on National and State Highways and unloading of cargo and travel of person; to their destinations after disembarking from buses, trains, and airplanes will be permitted.
(2) National Directives:
The National Directives for Covid-19 Management as specified in Annexure-I to MHA Order dated 29.07.2020 shall be followed throughout the State.
(3) Movement of persons with SOPs:
Movement by passenger trains and Shramik special trains, domestic air travel, movement of Indian Nationals stranded outside the country and of specified persons to travel abroad, evacuation of foreign nationals and sign-on and sign-off of Indian seafarers will continue to be regulated as per SOPs issued.
(4) Protection of vulnerable persons:
The persons above 65 years of age, persons with cc-morbidity, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years sire advised to stay at home except for essential requirements and for health purposes.
(5) Annual examinations, competitive examinations, Admission/entrance tests conducted by Universities, Boards, Public Service Commissions, and other institutions:
The Union Secretary has, vide DO letter dated 20.05.2020 has permitted Board and other examinations.
Accordingly, all kinds of examinations, admission i/entrance tests conducted by Universities, Boards, Public Service Co Emissions, and other institutions are allowed with usual precautions or sanitation and social-distancing.
(6) Restricted activities:
(i) Marriage related gatherings — Number of guests not to exceed thirty (30).
(ii) Funeral/last rites — Number of persons, not 10 exceed twenty(20).
(iii) Spitting in public places: is completely prohibited and punishable with a fine.
(iv) Consumption of liquor, pan, gutka, tobacco, etc. in public places is prohibited. However, there will be no restriction or their sale
(7) Religious places/places of worship for the public:
(i) Places of worship/religious places shall remain open only between 5 am to 8 pm.
(ii) The maximum number of persons at the time cf worship shall not exceed twenty (20) with due distancing and therefore, the worship time should be staggered accordingly.
(iii) The management of these places shall make adequate arrangements to ensure hand hygiene, social distancing, and the wearing of masks.
(iv) Langar and Prasad are allowed. SOP for religious places be followed.
(8) Restaurants:
Restaurants are allowed to open till 10 pm with 50% occupancy or fifty (50) guests, whichever is less. Liquor can be served provided the restaurant has valid permission from the Excise Department. However, bars shall remain closed. The management will comply with the SoP attached herewith.
(9) Hotels and other Hospitality Units:
Restaurants in Hotels are allowed to serve food including buffet meals up to 50% of their seating capacity or fifty (50) guests, whichever is less. These restaurants would also to open to persons other than hotel guests but the timings, for both the hotel guests as well as persons from outside would be till 10 pm. The bars shall remain closed. However, liquor can be served in the Rooms and Restaurants, as permitted under the Excise policy of the State. SoP attached herewith will be followed.
(10) Marriages, other Social Functions, and 'Open-Air' parties:
(i) Marriages, other Social Functions and 'Open-Air' Parties in Banquet Halls, Marriage Palaces, Hotels, and open venues can be organized up to thirty (30) persons. The number of guests exclusive of catering staff would not exceed thirty (30) persons.
(ii) The size of Banquet Hall and venue for thirty (30) persons shall at least be 3,000 sq. feet based on the requirement of 10' x10' area for a person for the purpose of maintenance of adequate social distancing.
(iii) The Bars shall continue to remain closed. However liquor can be served in the function as per the Excise Policy of the State.
SOP for hotels and other hospitality units will be followed.
(11) Opening of Shops and Shopping Malls:
All the Shopping Malls and shops including shop in main bazaars in both urban and rural areas allowed to open between n 7am to 8 pm. However, restaurants/ hotels situated within shopping malls are to be treated separately and can remain open up to 10 pm
Liquor vends shall however remain open from 8 am to 10 pm.
However, for shops situated in the main bazaars, market complexes, and rehri markets and other crowded places, district authorities can exercise their discretion, and in order to avoid crowding shall stagger the opening of shops.
Barbershops, hair-cut saloons, beauty parlors, and Spas: will be allowed from 7 am to 8 pm subject to compliance 01 the SOP as issued by the Health Department, Punjab.
Weekend restrictions (Sundays):
(i) Shops: shops dealing with essential commodities will be allowed to remain open till 8 pm on all days.
(ii) Restaurants and Liquor Vends: will continue to remain open till 10 pm on all days.
(iii) On Sundays, shops (other than those dealing its essential commodities) and shopping malls shall remain closed.
However, on Sunday, 02/08/2020 all shops & shopping malls will remain open from 7am to 8 pm on account Df Raksha Bandhan.
(12) Sports complexes, stadia, and public parks: will be allowed to open between 5 am to 8 pm without spectators as per the SOP of the Health Department.
(13) Industries & industrial establishments, Construction Activities etc. allowed.
(14) Movement of Buses and Vehicles: Inter-state and intra-state movement of buses would be allowed without any restriction. Transport vehicles can utilize the entire seating capacity.
(15) Permits and passes:
(i) No separate permission would be required by the industries and other establishments for their operations. All Employees would be allowed without any requirement of a pass during the permitted hours as mentioned in the above paragraphs for various establishments.
(ii) There shall be no restriction on inter-state and Intra-state movement of persons and goods and no separate permission/approval/permit will be required for such movement.
(iii) Use of Cova-app and self-generated pass would be mandatory for inter-state passengers
(16) Social distancing and wearing of masks:
Social distancing i.e. minimum 6 feet distance (do Gaz ki duri) for all the activities shall always be maintained. Accordingly, if any permitted activity leads to crowding and congestion, then necessary steps in terms of staggering, rotation, timings of offices and establishments, etc. be taken and it is ensured that the principle of social distancing is not compromised.
Wearing of masks by all persons in public places, including workplaces, etc. will be mandatory and must be strictly observed and enforced.
(17) Use of Arogaya Setu:
Employees are advised to ensure that Arogaya Setu is installed by all the employees having compatible mobile phones. Similarly, individuals are also to be advised by the district authorities to install Arogaya Setu application on their compatible mobile phones and also regularly update their health status on the app.
(18) Penal provisions:
Any violation of these guidelines and lockdown measures shall be punishable under sections 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 besides legal 'action under section 188 of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Earlier on Wednesday, the government issued nationwide Unlock 3 guidelines, opening up more activities outside the containment zones. Schools, colleges, metro rail service, cinema halls along bars will continue to remain shut till August 31 and political and religious gatherings too will remain prohibited. For the first time since the coronavirus lockdown came into force on March 25, the government allowed the opening of yoga institutes and gymnasiums from August 5 for which separate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be issued by the Health Ministry