Major cities such as Lucknow, Noida and Ghaziabad fall in districts where curbs will stay.
Highlights
- Lucknow, Ghaziabad among 20 districts where curbs will continue for now
- Schools and colleges continue to remain closed, so do cinemas and malls
- Cap of 25 invitees at marriage ceremonies, maximum 20 persons at funerals
The Uttar Pradesh government today decided to relax restrictions in districts that currently have less than 600 active Covid cases starting June 1.
Twenty districts where the active case count is higher won't see any relaxations in the curbs for now. Major cities such as Lucknow, Noida and Ghaziabad fall in these districts.
According to a government notification, markets in districts that have less than 600 active cases can now open from 7 am to 7 pm on weekdays.
The weekend curfew, however, will continue to be in force and this closure will be used for sanitising market areas in both urban and rural areas.
The notification says that it is mandatory for shopowners, staff and customers to follow Covid protocols such as social distancing and wearing of masks and any violation will invite action. While vegetable markets have been given the go-ahead to open, those in congested areas will be relocated by the administration to open spots.
According to the notification, government departments working on the frontline can function with full attendance. Other government departments have been asked to operate at 50 per cent capacity.
Private offices and industrial units have been allowed to open in adherence to Covid guidelines. Private establishments have been asked to encourage employees to work from home.
The notification says that Covid helpdesks with infrared thermometers, pulse oximeters and hand sanitisers must be set up in private offices, industrial units, airport, railway stations, bus terminals and vegetable markets.
At airports, railway stations and bus terminals, the helpdesks must also have Covid screening and testing facilities.
State transport buses will be allowed to operate with as many passengers as seats and in adherence to Covid protocols.
School, colleges and other educational institutions will continue to remain shut, says the notification, adding that offices in these institutions can open for administrative work.
Banks and insurance firms have been allowed to operate. Restaurants can only provide take-away services. Dhabas along the highway have been given the go-ahead to open in adherence to protocols.
Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools and shopping malls will continue to remain shut.
Religious places can open in these districts but not more than five persons should gather at these places at one time, says the notification.
The guidelines allow marriage functions with a maximum of 25 invitees and strict adherence to Covid protocols and say organisers will be held responsible for violations.
The number of people allowed to participate in funerals has been capped at 20.
For districts with more than 600 active Covid cases today, the restrictions currently in place will continue. The notification says that if the case count in any of these districts drops under 600, the relaxations provided to other districts will be applicable. Also, if any of the districts where restrictions have been relaxed sees a surge in cases, relevant orders will be issued to tighten the curbs there.
Districts where the active case count is still above 600 include Meerut, Lucknow, Saharanpur, Varanasi, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Muzaffarnagar, Bareilly, Gautam Budh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Jhansi, Prayagraj, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sonebhadra, Jaunpur, Baghpat, Moradabad, Ghazipur, Bijnore and Deoria.
Uttar Pradesh reported 1,908 new cases and 14 deaths over the past 24 hours and the number of active cases currently stands at 41,214.
The state had seen a surge in cases towards the end of April where the active case count had crossed the 3 lakh mark.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today said, "We have the lowest fatality rate in the country, and lowest positivity and highest recovery rate."