Relaxations Further Eased As Lockdown Extended in Tamil Nadu | Know What All Are Permitted To Function

Malls in 4 districts that come under category three are allowed to resume functioning while beaches will be opened to the public across the state.

Chennai: Relaxations further eased with lockdown being extended till 6 AM of July 5 in Tamil Nadu, announced Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday. This round of relaxations will see malls be opened with 50 per cent occupancy and inter-district public transport to resume in 23 districts — where the incidence of the virus is low — from Monday. 

Based on the prevalence of the disease in the districts, the districts are already classified as follows. In 11 districts where relaxations have not been announced before, tea shops have been allowed to deliver only parcels from 6 AM to 7 PM. Permission has been granted to run clothing shops in Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, and Tiruvallur districts.

The state has been divided into three different categories — category 1 (23 districts), category 2 (11 districts) and category 3 (4 districts) — on the severity of the prevalence of the virus. In the districts that fall under category 3 — Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, and Chengalpattu — places of worship are open to people barring celebrating festivals and large gatherings. Beaches are allowed to open for the public from 5 Am to 9 PM.

In the 11 districts that fall under category 2 — Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Karur, Namakkal, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai — the curve has been on a downward trend so the state government has decided to ease the curbs. tea shops or other shops are allowed to function till 7 PM. Beaches will be open to the public from 5 AM to 9 PM.

In categories 2 and 3, people attending weddings can travel without e-passes. E-passes are mandatory for people travelling to tourist attractions in the state. All the textile stores are allowed to be open in the districts that come under category 3 without running air-conditioning and with 50 per cent occupancy. Shopping complexes are allowed to be in the four districts of category 3 from 9 AM to 7 PM. Multiplexes and sports activities will remain non-functional in all the categories of the state.