May 18, 2020: With Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s hint of lockdown extension in India, the center was preparing blueprints of lockdown 4.0, as the Prime Minister earlier hints with the announcement of $265 Billions (20 lakh crore) stimulus package to retain India’s economy shut down due to coronavirus pandemic.
Lockdown 4.0 comes into effect on May 18, will allow shops and market — except those in city centers and malls — resuming, and auto, cabs and busses restarting services within the state government’s guidelines. E-commerce companies will be permitted to resume their service to deliver all goods, including non-essential.
However, hotels, restaurants, pubs, bars, cinema halls, gyms, food centers will continue to remain closed till May 31. This time center provided states with more authorities, including amendments of rules & regulations as per the situation of their region. State governments can now determine zones in their state and allow some services.
Here is the full detail of lockdown 4.0 that was extended from May 17 to May 31, first imposed on 24 March. Moments after the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) announced lockdown 4.0 to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Ministry of Home affairs (MHA) released fresh guidelines to allow the resumption of economic activities.
Here’s a list of everything what is allowed and what will be restricted during lockdown 4.0 between May 18 to 31
- Buses, Auto-rickshaws, cabs can operate, and the state government can decide interstate movement of vehicles.
- Metro, air and rail services remain suspended, except those allowed with special permission
- All shops, except those in malls and containment zones can open
- Barber shops and salons can open
- Delivery of essential and non-essential items allowed through online shopping platforms
- Restaurants can operate, but only for takeaway
- Religious, political gatherings prohibited
- Weddings cannot have more than 50 guests and funerals not more than 20
- Cap on 33% strength in offices done away with, work from home to be encouraged; social distancing and staggered work hours to be followed in offices
- Wearing of masks compulsory in public places and work place
- Night curfew from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. for non-essential services to remain in force
- Vulnerable groups such as those above 65 years, pregnant women and children under 10 to remain at home
- States can decide the delineation of zones into red, green, orange and containment zones
- Schools, colleges, malls to remain shut
These are services allowed by the central, but the state government can change and decide resumption according to red, orange and green zones. Along with a 20 lakh crore stimulus plan announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman on Friday, states were allowed to take decisions to retain the economy. With an increasing number of positive cases, India has recorded 96,169 COVID-19 cases as the death toll reaches 3,029. The novel coronavirus has affected 4.71M people across the world.
