Unlock1: The government has eased the coronavirus lockdown
The centre has extended the coronavirus lockdown in containment zones till June 30. In a statement titled "Unlock 1" to indicate that the country - at least in trade and economic activities - is slowly coming out of the coronavirus crisis, the government said all services and activities except select ones like international flights and gyms outside containment zones will resume in phases.
Some of the services and places that are not allowed or for which a decision is yet to be taken are:
- Schools, colleges, educational, training and coaching institutions. The government said it will take a decision in July after consulting the states and Union Territories. The government said the states and UTs can also consult parents at the institution level to see if schools can be reopened.
- International flights, except those allowed by the Home Ministry.
- Metro rail.
- Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places.
- Social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious functions and other large gatherings.
- No movement allowed across the country from 9 pm to 5 am, except for those in essential services.
- No non-essential services allowed in containment zones.
Malls, hotels, restaurants and places of worship can open on June 8 except in areas with the most number of coronavirus cases, the government said today.
"The current phase of re-opening, Unlock 1, will have an economic focus," said the government, a day after GDP data showed the slowest pace of growth in 11 years and a big impact of the lockdown on the latest quarter.