Punjab lockdown guidelines till May 31 — Shops, salons, offices and banks to resume operations

• The Punjab government has announced the revised lockdown guidelines, after the center extended the lockdown till May 31.
  
• Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said that the shops and small businesses can go operational in the non-containment zones from 7 am to 6 pm.
  
• Banks, courier services and e-commerce delivery is allowed — including the non-essential items. Government and private offices will also be operational.
  
• Restaurants that are facilitating home delivery and take out orders will be open.
  
• However, the containment zones will be strictly sealed.

The Punjab government has announced the revised lockdown guidelines, after the center extended the lockdown till May 31. As per the new guidelines for lockdown 4.0, announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs, states and Union Territories can define the red, green and orange zones as per COVID-19 situation.


Activities allowed

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said that the shops and small businesses can go operational in the non-containment zones from 7 am to 6 pm. The state will reopen its salons and barber shops as well — keeping the social distancing norms in check.

Banks, courier services and e-commerce delivery is allowed — including the non-essential items. Government and private offices will also be operational.

However, the containment zones will be strictly sealed. This is a list of the containment zones in Punjab.

The state government has also decided to allow public transport service, starting tomorrow (May 20). But, the buses will only take on board one passenger for every 2 seats.

This will apply for inter-state travel routes too, provided the other states also agree to let the buses in. In addition, four wheelers including cab aggregators and taxis, auto rickshaws and two wheelers will also be allowed. Again, these relaxations are not applicable in the containment zones.

The sports complexes and stadiums will reopen across the state — but without spectators — that means only the participating players will be allowed, for the purposes of training etc.

Activities that are not allowed

Having said that, the night curfew still remains. The state will observe a strict curfew between 7 pm to 7 am. The senior citizens, pregnant women, children below 10 years of age will have to stay indoors.

The hospitality and entertainment industry will have to wait to resume operations till May 31. The state government said that hotels, restaurants,multiplexes, malls, gyms and swimming pools will not open, as per the new guidelines.

This excludes the restaurants that are facilitating home delivery and take out orders.

Moreover, all the education institutions in the state including coaching centres, universities and schools will remain shut for students in wake of the coronavirus pandemic. However, official work can be resumed across these institutions.

Air, metro and rail travel is still closed, only four wheelers and buses have been allowed to operate in non-containment zones.

See also:
Rajasthan government releases Lockdown 4.0 guidelines — allows within state travel with a compulsory face mask