PremiumThe curfew period, which was to end on January 22, has been extended till January 29; the Covid curfew restrictions have also been extended in eight metros and two cities till January 29
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Gujarat: In wake of the increasing number of coronavirus cases in the state, the Gujarat government has announced night curfew in 17 more towns, which have seen high Covid positivity rate in the past few days. The Covid curfew restrictions have also been extended in eight metros and two cities till January 29.
The decision to extend the curfew restrictions was taken during a Covid review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. The timings of the night curfew remains the same -- from 10 pm to 6 am. The government has also relaxed norms for hotels and restaurants by allowing round the clock home delivery of food. They can also operate with 75 per cent capacity till 10 pm.
Gujarat reported 21,225 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, a drop from its all-time high of of 24,485 recorded a day ago. Total 16 more patients succumbed to the infection, the state health department said.
Notably, the government had previously imposed night curfew in eight metros -- Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Bhavnagar and Gandhinagar -- and two cities (Anand and Nadiad).
The night curfew will also be imposed in Surendranagar, Dhrangradhra, Morbi, Wankaner, Dhoraji, Gondal, Jetpur, Kalawad, Godhra, Vijalpore (Navsari), Navsari, Bilimora, Vyarav, Vyapar, Bharuch and Ankleshwar, the new guidelines show.
According to the notification issued by the state home department, essential services are allowed during the night curfew and the other restrictions remain unchanged. Shops, shopping complexes, marketing yards, salons, spas and beauty parlours, etc., are allowed to operate till 10 pm, while political, social and religious gatherings are allowed with a maximum of 150 persons at a venue in an open space, with the number not exceeding 50 per cent of the capacity of an enclosed space.
No more than 100 mourners are permitted at funerals, the notification stated. Bus transport services have been exempted from night curfew, and buses can operate with 75 per cent seating capacity. Cinema halls, water parks, gyms, swimming pools, auditoriums, libraries, etc. are allowed to operate with 50 per cent of their capacities, it was stated.
With PTI inputs
