Lockdown 2.0 relaxation: Government lists permitted and banned activities from April 20

The union government on Saturday reminded everyone that only selective relaxation will be allowed during the second phase of lockdown beginning midnight with the purpose of restarting the rural economy and providing earning opportunities to the daily-wage earning class including migrant labourers.

Centre made it clear that the limited commercial activities will only be allowed in non-Covid-19 hotspots or containment zones. The government added that the relaxation will have no impact on most containment measures in force during the lockdown and people should remember that the prohibition on activities that threaten community transmissions will continue.

Here’s the list of activities/services that will continue to be under suspension despite the relaxations that will come into effect from April 20 in certain areas.

1. Passenger traffic movement by rail, road and air--except in places where they have been exempted by the local administration as part of relaxations.

2. Educational and related institutions including schools, colleges, vocational training centres.

3. Most industrial, commercial activity and hospitality services including hotels (unless they are specially exempted)

4. Cinema halls and entertainment complexes.

5. Shopping malls, shopping complexes and entertainment parks.

6. Social, political, cultural, entertainment, academic and sports gatherings.

7. Religious places, places of worship and religious congregations.

8. Taxi services including autos and cab aggregators.

The government said it was important that no mistake is made while restoring services which could be counterproductive to the containment efforts leading to an outcome the country can ill-afford at this stage.

“Agricultural and related activities should be functional, rural economy should be functional, daily wage earners employment opportunities should be monitored, health services should remain functional, the supply chain of essential goods should be maintained. Our effort is to gradually restore normalcy to ensure that both life and livelihoods are protected,” said Lav Agarwal, joint secretary, health ministry while listing some of the services that will continue to be in operation in the last leg of the second phase of lockdown starting April 20.

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Agarwal said that several offices, workplaces, factories and other establishments outside hotspots or containment zones will start operating from April 20 but they will have to ensure social distancing. He added that big industrial units are being encouraged to house migrant workers inside their premises to prevent a possible spread in infections.

“Hotspots are those areas were a large number of Covid-19 cases have been found or where the doubling rate is less than 4 days,” Agarwal defined the term for the purpose of identifying containment zones.

He added that if any of the areas enjoying relaxations report positive cases they can be converted into containment zones and relaxations will be withdrawn.

He made it clear that lockdown SOPs will have to be followed even in areas outside these containment zones where selective relaxations will be allowed.

No relaxation is permitted for containment zones where only essential services will be allowed.

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