COVID-19 Lockdown Extended by 2 Weeks – What All is Allowed?

“Considerable” relaxations have been granted in districts falling in green and orange zones, the MHA said.

Image used for representational purpose.

(Photo: PTI)

The COVID-19 lockdown has been extended by two weeks beyond 4 May, with “considerable” relaxations in districts falling in green and orange zones, a Home Ministry order said on Friday,1 May.

The ministry has issued new guidelines "to regulate different activities in this period, based on the risk profiling of the districts of the country into red (hotspot), green and orange zones," the order said.

So, what is allowed during Lockdown 3.0 and what activities remain prohibited? Here’s all you need to know.

What are the activities that are prohibited pan-India?

The new guidelines say that a limited number of activities will remain prohibited across India, irrespective of the zone. These include:

• Movement of individuals for non-essential activities is prohibited from 7 pm to 7 am across the country.
• Travel by air, rail, metro and inter-state movement by road. However, inter-state movement will be permitted by Home Ministry for select purposes.
• Running of schools, colleges, and other educational and training/coaching centres.
• Hospitality services, including hotels and restaurants; places of large public gatherings such as cinema halls, malls, gymnasiums, sports complexes, among others.
• Pregnant women, children below the age of 10 and persons above 65 years of age are advised to stay at home.
• Places of worship will also remain closed throughout the country.

I live in a Red Zone district. What activities are allowed here?

In Red Zones, outside containment zones, certain activities are prohibited in addition to those prohibited throughout the country. These include:

• Plying of cycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws; taxis and cab aggregators.
• Intra-district and inter-district plying of buses.
• Barber shops, spas and salons.
• Delivery of only essential goods by e-commerce platforms is allowed.

The activities that will be allowed in Red Zone include:

• Movement of individuals and vehicles is allowed only for permitted activities.
• Industrial establishments in urban areas, viz, Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Export Oriented Units (EOUs), industrial estates.
• Construction activities in urban areas have been limited to in-situ construction.
• All standalone (single) shops, neighborhood (colony) shops and shops in residential complexes are permitted to remain open in urban areas.
• Private offices can operate with upto 33 percent strength as per requirement.
• Most of the commercial and private establishments have been allowed in the Red Zones. These include print and electronic media, IT and IT-enabled services, data and call centres, cold storage and warehousing services, private security and facility management services, among others.
• Industrial and construction activities in rural areas, including MNREGA work, food processing units and brick-kilns are permitted in the red zones.

What about Orange Zone?

• In orange zones, in addition to activities permitted in the red zone, taxis and cab aggregators will be permitted with one driver and one passenger only.
• The inter-district movement of individuals and vehicles will be allowed for permitted activities only.
• Four-wheelers will have a maximum of two passengers besides the driver and pillion riding will be allowed on two-wheelers, the government said.

What is different about Green Zones?

• In the Green Zones, all activities are permitted except the limited number of activities which are prohibited throughout the country, irrespective of the Zone.
• However, buses can operate with upto 50 percent seating capacity and bus depots can operate with upto 50 percent capacity.

What about liquor shops?

Liqour shops and paan shops will be allowed to function in Green Zones, while ensuring six feet distance from each other. Not more than five persons should be present at once.

How do I know which zone I live in?

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will release an updated list of districts and their respective zones across India every week.