In line with the Central government’s guidelines for ‘Unlock 1.0’, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday ordered formulation of clearly defined guidelines for opening up of hotels, hospitality services, shopping malls, places of worship, and restaurants for in-dining, from June 8, while announcing immediate opening up of shops, including liquor and barber shops, beauty parlours, spas, etc, from Monday in the non-containment zones.
He has directed the Health and Transport Departments to come out with detailed SOPs for permitted activities and movement in this phase of the lockdown, beginning June 1 till June 30, for the areas outside containment zones.
In the containment zones, however, only essential activities will be allowed and there will be a strict perimeter control. Such zones will be demarcated by the district authorities, after taking into consideration the guidelines of the Union bMinistry of Health and Family Welfare.
The district authorities would also identify buffer zones outside containment zones wherein restrictions as considered necessary, may be put in place.
The movement of individuals for all the non-essential activities shall remain prohibited between 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. as per the Centre’s guidelines and district authorities have been directed to issue prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Cr.PC and ensure strict compliance.
As per the directives of the Chief Minister, effective June 1, shops in main bazars will be open between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., and liquor vends can remain open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Deputy Commissioners have been authorised to exercise their discretion in staggering the timings to avoid crowding, in main bazars, market complexes and rehri markets.
Subject to compliance with SOPs to be issued by the Health Department, barber shops, hair-cut salons, beauty parlours and spas are also allowed to open up from Monday.
E-commerce is now permitted in Punjab for all goods, including non-essential, as per the latest guidelines issued on the directives of the Chief Minister.
Sports complexes and stadia can also open without spectators.
As far as inter-state travel is concerned, buses will ply with the consent of other states.
There are no restrictions on either inter-state or intra-state movement of passenger vehicles such as taxis, cabs, stage carriers, tempo-travellers and cars, but self-generated e-pass would need to be downloaded from COVA app.
Bicycles, rickshaws and auto-rickshaws will be allowed subject to compliance of the SOP as issued by the Transport Department.
For inter-state movement of trains and domestic flights, the inward passengers would have to follow the SOPs of the Health Department and would be required to either download Cova-app and get self-generated ‘e-pass’ or declare their particulars at the railway station.
The passengers would also be home quarantined for 14 days.
All categories of industries, and construction activities are allowed to operate, without any restriction, in both rural and urban areas, along with agricultural, horticultural, animal husbandry, veterinary services.
No separate permission would be required by the industries and other establishments to resume their operations.
