Unlock 2.0 In Effect From Today; What Are The New Relaxations & What Continues To Be Prohibited

Unlock 2 guidelines: Shops depending upon their area, can have more than 5 persons at a time. However, they have to maintain adequate physical distance.

A man talks on a mobile phone outside a medical supply store .(Photo by Himanshu Bhatt/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Unlock 2 Guidelines: Except for containment zones, the guidelines for Unlock 2.0 shall be implemented across country from Wednesday, taking forward the phased opening up of the country’s economic activities. The guidelines for Unlock-2 had been issued on Monday by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The use of Aarogya Setu mobile application will continue to be encouraged in this phase and vulnerable persons, i.e., persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years, are advised to stay at home, except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes. What are the key relaxations given? The operations of domestic flights and passenger trains will be further expanded in a calibrated manner. Night curfew timings are being further relaxed and curfew shall be in force from 10.00 pm to 5.00 am. Further, relaxations in night curfew have been given for seamless operation of industrial units in multiple shifts, movement of persons and goods on National and State Highways, loading and unloading of cargo and movement of persons to their destinations after disembarking from buses, trains and airplanes. Shops depending upon their area, can have more than 5 persons at a time. However, they have to maintain adequate physical distance. Training institutions of the Central and State Governments will be allowed to function with effect from July 15, 2020. However, an  SOP in this regard will be issued by the Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India. International air travel of passengers has been permitted in a limited manner under the Vande Bharat mission.  Further opening up will take place in a calibrated manner. There shall be no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods.  No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit will be required for such movements. As far as possible the practice of work from home should be followed. Staggering of work or business hours will be followed in offices, workplaces, shops, markets and industrial and commercial establishments. What will remain closed? Containment zones shall have lockdown till July 31 Metro Rail Schools, colleges and coaching institutions will remain closed till July 31, 2020. Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places. Social/ political/ sports/ entertainment/ academic/ cultural/ religious functions and other large congregations. Note: Dates for opening of these will be decided separately, based on the assessment of the situation. Key directives: Number of guests should not exceed 50 in a marriage while in funeral-related gatherings, the number of people should not exceed beyond 20. Spitting in public places will be punishable with fine, as may be prescribed by a state or UT or local authorities in accordance with its laws, rules or regulations. The MHA said consumption of liquor, paan, gutka, tobacco in public places is prohibited. States to decide on activities outside Containment Zones States and UTs, based on their assessment of the situation, may prohibit certain activities outside the Containment zones, or impose such restrictions as deemed necessary. However, Night Curfew shall continue to remain in force, between 10.00 pm and 5 am, except for essential activities and other relaxation given in Unlock 2. Also Watch: Patanjali's flip-flop over Coronil claims explained | Master Stroke