FAQs: Are Offices Open in Lockdown 3.0? Can I Get a Cab to Work?

Not sure if you can go to office? Check out this comprehensive FAQ on guidelines for who can go to work and how.

As the nation enters lockdown 3.0 with multiple relaxations on movement of individuals, the central government has now allowed private and government offices to open in Red, Orange and Green Zones, provided they abide by a set of guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

So, here’s a comprehensive list of how offices can open and what rules are to be followed.

Can private offices in Red Zones open?

• All private offices across Red, Orange and Green Zones can open, but they cannot have more than 33 percent employees at any given point of time. Offices, however, must take a call on which employees will make up this 33 percent percent limit, depending on the requirement.
• All remaining employees must be allowed to work from home.
• This includes print and electronic media, IT and IT-enabled services, data and call centres, cold storage and warehousing services, private security and facility management services, and services provided by self-employed persons.
• Barber shops are excluded from the scope of services provided by self-employed persons in red zones.

Can government offices open?

• All government offices will function with officers in and above the rank of Deputy Secretary in full attendance.
• Only 33 percent of the remaining staff, that is those below the rank of Deputy Secretary, may be asked to come in, depending on the requirement.
• Additionally, the following services will be allowed without any restrictions: Defence and Security services, Health and Family Welfare, Police, Prisons, Home Guards, Civil Defence, Fire and Emergency Services, Disaster management and related services, National Informatics Centre, Customs, Food Corporation of India, National Cadet Corps, Nehru Yuva Kendra, and municipal services.
• Persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years shall stay at home, except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes.

How will employees travel to offices? Will cabs and transport be available?

• In Red Zones, movement of cycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws, running of taxis and cab aggregators, intra-district and inter-district plying of buses will not be allowed.
• However, movement of individuals in private vehicles for permitted activities mentioned above, will be allowed in the following way:

1. Not more than three passengers in a four wheeler, including the driver.
2. In case of two-wheelers, no pillion riders will be allowed.
3. Arrangements for transport facilities shall be ensured with social distancing, wherever personal/public transport is not feasible.

How will office-goers travel in Orange and Green zones?

• In Orange and Green zones, taxis and cab aggregators will be permitted with one driver and two passengers only.
• Inter-district movement of individuals and vehicles will be allowed for permitted activities only.
• Four-wheeler vehicles will have maximum two passengers besides the driver and pillion riding will be allowed on two-wheelers.
• In addition to individual movement, cabs and taxis, in Green Zones, buses can operate with upto 50 percent seating capacity and bus depots can operate with upto 50 percent capacity .

What are the other guidelines for offices?

• Wearing of face cover is compulsory in all work places and adequate stock of such face covers shall be made available.
• All persons in charge of work places shall ensure social distancing as per the guidelines issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, both within the work places and in company transport.
• Social distancing at work places shall be ensured through adequate gaps between shifts, staggering the lunch breaks of staff, etc.
• Provision for thermal scanning, hand wash and sanitizer preferably with touch free mechanism will be made at all entry and exit points and common areas. In addition, sufficient quantities of hand wash and sanitizer shall be made available in the workplaces.
• Frequent sanitization of entire workplace, common facilities and all points which come into human contact, eg door handles etc, shall be ensured, including between shifts.
• Use of Aarogya Setu app shall be made mandatory for all employees, both private and public. It shall be the responsibility of the head of the respective organisations to ensure 100 percent coverage of this app among the employees.
• Large physical meetings to be avoided.
• Hospitals/clinics in the nearby areas, which are authorised to treat COVID-19 patients, should be identified and list should be available at workplace at all times. Employees showing any symptom of COVID-19 should be immediately sent for check up to such facilities. Quarantine areas should be earmarked for isolating employees showing symptoms till they are safely moved to the medical facilities.
• Intensive communication and training on good hygiene practices shall be taken