Lockdown 2.0: Selective Relaxation Allowed in Non-Containment Areas From Today, Here's What's Open and Shut From April 20 Amid COVID-19 Crisis

New Delhi, April 20: Selective relaxation has been allowed from Monday, April 20, in any state or district which are no more coronavirus hotspots. India completed 26 days of the nationwide lockdown on Sunday. The coronavirus tally in the country stood at 17,265, while COVID-19 death toll climbed to 543 on Monday. In his second address to the nation on April 14, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had extended the lockdown till May 3, 2020. He had said that cities and districts across India will be monitored and tested till April 20 and if they cut the transmission of COVID-19, then some important activities will be permitted in such areas. India's COVID-19 Tally Surges to 17,265, Death Toll Jumps to 543.

From today, i.e. April 20, relaxation will be allowed for commercial services, healthcare services, financial and agricultural services, vehicular movements and several industries. The relaxation of these services from the ongoing lockdown come with strict guidelines for workspaces of industries. There will be no relaxation in containment zones in the areas designated as hotspots, from April 20. Lockdown 2.0: List of Services That Will Open After April 20.

Here's What Will be Open From April 20

1. Private vehicles for medical emergency services and for procuring essential commodities. In case of 4-wheeler, one passenger in back seat besides the driver is permitted. In case of 2-wheeler, only driver of the vehicles is permitted.
2. MNREGA works, priority to irrigation and water conservation, workers to use face masks and observe social distancing. Movement of migrant labourers within a state allowed
3. Construction activities including roads, irrigation projects, renewable energy projects, construction projects in municipalities
4. Hospitals, nursing homes, tele-medicine facilities, medical shops and dispensaries will function. Manufacturing units, medical devices and construction of health infrastructure.
5. IT and IT enabled Services, with up to 50% strength.
6. Medical research, COVID-19 related labs and collection centres, authorised private establishments to function. Veterinary hospitals, dispensaries, clinics, sale and supply of vaccine, medicines to be open
7. Transportation of cargo (inter and intra state) by air, rail, land and sea routes to function
8. APMC mandis, direct marketing operations, harvesting and sowing to be open
9. RBI and RBI regulated financial markets and entities, banks, ATMs, IT vendors for banking operations
10. Disbursement of social security pensions and provident fund by EPFO, operation of anganwadis
11. Operations of Oil and Gas sector, storage and retail of products like petrol, diesel, kerosene, CNG, LPG, PNG etc to remain functional. Postal services, including post offices to be allowed to function

What Remains Shut

1. All passenger trains and domestic/international flights remain suspended till the second lockdown ends till May 3. The same applies to all forms of public transport (private and public cabs, buses, metro services).
2. All public places (gyms, swimming pools, movie theatres, malls, multiplexes, public parks, markets) will also remain closed till May 3.
3. People in containment zones or hotspots will not be allowed to move out of their homes. Food and other essentials will be delivered to their doorstep. The Health Ministry on Sunday said that there will be no relaxation in containment zones in the areas designated as hotspots, from April 20.
4. All educational, training, coaching institutions etc. shall remain closed.However, these establishments are expected to maintain the academic schedule through online teaching

According to the Health Ministry guidelines, hotspot or red zones are the areas where "there are a large number of COVID-19 cases or where doubling rates of cases is less than four days." In these hotspots, local administration delineate containment and buffer zones to control the disease spread.

In India, 1,553 coronavirus cases and 36 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours. The number of COVID-19 cases in the country surged to 17,265 on Monday. The death toll also increased to 543, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Monday.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 20, 2020 09:43 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).