Coronavirus Update: Metro Rail, Social And Religious Functions Allowed Under ‘Unlock 4’
Unlock 4: What’s allowed and what’s not.
Metro rail services can resume operations, social and religious functions can be held, and no e-permits will be required in some of the relaxations in the fourth phase of lifting lockdown restrictions even as the coronavirus tally continues to mount in the world’s third-worst infected nation.
Metro rail will be allowed to operate in a graded manner effective Sept. 7, in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs, it said in a statement on Saturday evening. The Ministry of Housing And Urban Affairs will issue standard operating procedures for the metro.
Under ‘Unlock 4’, social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious and political functions, among others, are permitted with a cap of 100 persons from Sept. 21.
Open theaters, too, will be allowed to operate from Sept. 21. There also be no restriction on inter- and intra-state movement of persons and goods, and no separate permission or approval or e-permit will be required, the guidelines said.
These add to the list of the activities that are allowed in the first, second and third phases of easing the stringent stay-at-home curbs.
What’s not allowed
Schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutes will remain closed till Sept. 30.
Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres and similar places, too, will remain shut.
The fourth phase of the lockdown comes at a time the nation of 1.3 billion people is adding Covid-19 cases at the fastest pace in the world, overtaking the U.S. and Brazil in daily new cases. On Saturday, India added more than 76,000 new cases, taking the total tally to 34,63,972 cases.
The guidelines said that states and union territories cannot impose any lockdown outside the containment zones, without prior consultation with the central government.
Other highlights:
Students of classes 9-12 permitted to visit schools, in areas outside the containment zones only, on a voluntary basis for taking guidance from their teachers. This, however, will be subject to written consent of their parents/ guardians.
States/union territories can permit up to 50% of teaching and non-teaching staff to be called to schools, outside the containment zones, for online teaching or tele-counseling from Sept. 21.
Higher education institutions allowed only for research scholars and post graduate students of technical and professional programmes, those who require laboratory/experimental works. This, however, will be permitted by the Department of Higher Education in consultation with the MHA, based on the assessment of the situation.
International air travel, except as permitted by the MHA, to remain suspended.