The Central Government has extended the lockdown for more two weeks, until May 17th. Also, the entire country has been divided into Red, Green, and Orange Zones, based on which COVID-19 outbreak would be further governed in the country.
Permitted Activities in Red Zone
While strict protocols of testing would be followed, the containment zones will include house-to-house surveillance and clinical management. Here are the activities that would be allowed in the Red Zones:
- Movement of individuals and vehicles with a maximum of 2 persons (besides the driver) in four-wheeler vehicles, and with no pillion rider in the case of two-wheelers.
- Special Economic Zones, Export Oriented Units, industrial estates, and industrial townships
- Manufacturing units of essential goods, including drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, their raw materials
- Manufacturing of IT hardware
- Jute industry with staggered shifts and social distancing; and,
- manufacturing units of packaging material.
- Construction activities limited to in-situ construction (where workers are available on-site).
- All standalone (single) shops, neighborhood (colony) shops, and shops in residential complexes.
- E-Commerce activities only in respect of essential goods.
- Private offices can operate with up to 33% strength.
- All Government offices
- Food-processing units
- All agriculture activities
- All plantation activities
- All health services (including AYUSH)
- Banks, non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), insurance, and capital market activities.
- Public utilities
Activities Permitted in Orange & Green Zones
In Orange Zones, apart from the activities in Red Zones, taxis and cab aggregators will be allowed to function. The inter-district movement will be allowed for permitted activities while pillion riding on two-wheelers have been allowed and four-wheelers can have a maximum of two passengers at the back apart from the driver.
In Green Zones, all activities apart from the operation of public spaces such as schools, colleges, malls, and restaurants can resume. Buses can function with 50% capacity while no passes would be required for movement. E-commerce services will resume while liquor sales will be allowed.
Activities still not permitted by the government
Air, rail, metro, running of schools, colleges, and other educational and training/coaching institutions; hospitality services, including hotels and restaurants; places of large public gatherings, such as cinema halls, malls, gymnasiums, sports complexes, etc; social, political, cultural and other kinds of gatherings; and, religious places/ places of worship for the public. However, the movement of persons by air, rail, and road is allowed for select purposes, and for purposes as permitted by MHA.
Source: Economic Times
