In a major decision, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday exempted all shops under the ‘Shops and Establishment Act’- including shops in residential complexes and market complexes- from revised consolidated lockdown restrictions.
The relaxations, however, are not applicable in hotspots and containment zones.
“All shops registered under the Shops and Establishment Act of the respective State/Union Territory, including shops in residential complexes and market complexes, except shops in multi-brand and single-brand malls, outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities, with 50% strength of workers with wearing of masks and social distancing being mandatory,” reads the MHA order.
The order further states: “All shops, including neighbourhood shops and standalone shops, shops in residential complexes, within the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities, registered under the Shops and Establishment Act of the respective State and Union Territory, except shops in market complexes and multi-brand and single-brand malls, with 50% strength of workers with wearing of masks and social distancing being mandatory.”
The MHA, however has issued a clarification that “In rural areas, all shops, except those in shopping malls are allowed to open. In urban areas, all standalone shops, neighbourhood shops & shops in residential complexes are allowed to open”.
The shops in markets/market complexes and shopping malls are not allowed to open. It is clarified that sale by e-commerce companies will continue to be permitted for essential goods only. It is further clarified that the sale of liquor and other items continues to be prohibited.
Meanwhile, In view of queries coming from various sections of society, the Home Ministry also clarified that all restaurants, salons and barbershops will remain CLOSED. They render services and the relaxations given under lockdown restrictions on Froiday pertain only to shops selling items.
“Hair salons & barber shops render services. Our order is applicable to shops which deal in sale of items. There is no order to open barbershops & hair salons. There is no order to open liquor shops too,” Punya Salila Srivastava, Joint Secretary (Home Affairs), said.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on March 24 announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID-19. The lockdown was later extended till May 3.
A total of 24,506 confirmed cases have been reported in India while 5,062 people, who were COVID-19 positive, have recovered or migrated, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Saturday.
There are 18,668 active cases of COVID-19 in the country as of now, while 775 people have lost their lives due to coronavirus.