GOVT ISSUES REVISED GUIDELINES FOR NATIONWIDE LOCKDOWN TILL 3 MAY: WHAT'S ALLOWED, WHAT'S PROHIBITED

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an extension of the nationwide lockdown till 3 May, the Minsitry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday issued revised guidelines to be followed during the second phase of the curfew.

Some of the guidelines:

1. Offices under the Central government, its autonomous/ subordinate offices and public corporations will remain closed, with the exceptions of defence, central armed police forces, treasury, public utilities (including petroleum, CNG, LPG, PNG), power generation and transmission units and post offices. Others like Customs, Reserve Bank of India and RBI-regulated financial markets and entities like NPCI, CCIL will operate with minimum staff.

2. Offices under the state/ union territory governments will remain closed with the exceptions of police, home guards, civil defence, fire and emergency services, disaster management, and prisons, electricity, water, sanitation, municipal bodies.

3. Hospitals, veterinary hospitals and all related medical establishments, including their manufacturing and distribution units, both in public and private sector, such as dispensaries, chemist, pharmacies (including Jan Aushadhi Kendra) and medical equipment shops, laboratories, pharmaceutical research labs, clinics, nursing homes, ambulance etc. will continue to remain functional.

4. From April 20, additional activities will be allowed "to mitigate hardship on the public". Farming operations, procurement activities and mandis organised by the state will be operational.

5. From April 20, pharmaceutical research activities and manufacturing of drugs, medical devices will be operational.

6. Inter-state, inter-district movement of people, metro, bus services continue to be prohibited till May 3

7. Cinema halls, malls, shopping complexes, gymnasiums, sports complexes, swimming pools, bars to remain closed till May 3.

8. Commercial and private establishments shall be closed down, with the exceptions of shops (including ration shops) dealing with food, groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, meat and fish, animal fodder, fertilisers, seeds and pesticides.

9. Banks, insurance offices, and ATMs including IT vendors for banking operations, print and electronic media can function, along with the delivery of all essential goods including food, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment through e-commerce.

10. Industrial establishments will remain closed with the exceptions of manufacturing units of essential goods, medical devices, their raw materials.

11. All transport services (air, rail, road) will remain suspended with the exceptions of transportation for essential goods, fire, law and order and emergency services, operations of Railways, Airports and Seaports for cargo movement, relief and evacuation and their related operational organisations.

12. Taxis and cab aggregators will be prohibited.

13. All educational, training, research, coaching institutions etc. shall remain closed.

14. All places of worship shall be closed for public. No religious congregations will be permitted, without any exception.

15. All social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions / gatherings will be barred.

16. In case of funerals, congregation of not more than twenty persons will be permitted.

17. Dhabas on National highways are permitted to function. Coffee and tea plantations can function with 50% of employees.

18. Plumber and Electrician services, and Construction of roads, irrigation projects, buildings, and industrial projects in rural areas are permitted.

19. Works under MNREGA, with priority to irrigation and water conservation works are permitted.