BackState govts frame rules to open up business
Broadly, the guidelines are in line with the Union government’s norms, which delegated more powers to states in framing rules on Saturday
PremiumOn the last day of lockdown 4.0, states came out with new guidelines for people and commerce, balancing caution with pragmatism as India prepares to open up.
Broadly, the guidelines are in line with the Union government’s norms, which delegated more powers to states in framing rules on Saturday, although a few have extended the lockdown till June-end, especially in containment zones.
Maharashtra has allowed staggered lifting of the lockdown from 3 June, in three phases, under ‘Mission Begin Again’. It will be effective outside containment zones in the municipal corporations of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pune, Solapur, Aurangabad, Malegaon, Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon, Akola, Amravati and Nagpur, with restrictions.
In the first phase, open public spaces including beaches, playgrounds, gardens and promenades will allow physical exercises between 5am and 7pm; garages will function; and government offices will open for providing non-essential services with 15% strength or 15 employees, whichever is higher.
In the next two phases, starting 5 and 8 June, respectively, markets, shops (except malls and market complexes) are allowed to function on odd-even basis from 9am to 5pm. All private offices can operate with up to 10% strength.
All public and private transport will follow passenger management while intra-district bus service orders are not permitted.“If any crowding or failure of social distance norms is seen, authorities will immediately close such shops," the government order said.
The Uttar Pradesh government said restrictions, particularly in containment zones, would continue till 30 June. It has announced opening of shops, single-brand supermarkets and salons 9am to 9pm with strict social distancing.
“Beginning tomorrow, we will have the process of unlocking in four stages. Regulating containment zones, ensuring doorstep delivery and medical screening and other essential services there—apart from that, everything will be restricted. We will look at focusing how to increase economic activity by ensuring social distancing," Adityanath told reporters in an online press conference on Sunday morning.
“We are looking at 100% attendance in government offices but in three shift," Uttar Pradesh Additional chief secretary (home) Awanish K. Awasthi told reporters in Lucknow.
Meanwhile, Kerala does not plan to do away with e-passes for interstate traffic. The state signalled it does not intend to give a lot more relaxations for travel and doing business. It has already allowed reopening of private offices and showrooms outside containment zones and has allowed intra-district public transport and inter-district private transport.
“Relaxations will only be allowed based on the situation in the state. The outright reversal of travel restrictions will create confusion," state agriculture minister V.S. Sunil Kumar told Manorama News, a local news channel.
Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao also extended the lockdown till 30 June, though the relaxations given by the Centre will be implemented everywhere except in the containment zones. Karnataka issued guidelines for phase-wise reopening of lockdown measures similar to the Centre’s norms.
Anuja and Gyan Varma in Delhi; Nidheesh M.K in Ernakulam; Sharan Poovanna in Bengaluru; and Kalpana Pathak in Mumbai contributed to the story.
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