Cinema halls, spas allowed to open; lockdown extended till July 19
As per the order issued on Sunday by Vijai Vardhan, the state chief secretary, cinema halls (in malls and stand-alone) have been allowed to open with 50% capacity, subject to strict adherence to Covid-19 safety guidelines
The Haryana government on Sunday allowed the reopening of cinema halls, spas and swimming pools, with riders, and extended the ongoing lockdown till July 19.
As per the order issued on Sunday by Vijai Vardhan, the state chief secretary, cinema halls (in malls and stand-alone) have been allowed to open with 50% capacity, subject to strict adherence to Covid-19 safety guidelines. Likewise, spas have been allowed to open from 6am to 8pm with appropriate safeguards. Swimming pools have also been allowed to open, but only for athletes and sportsperson who are competing/practising for events and not the general public.
The orders, concerning the Surakshit Haryana Mahamari alert, also increased the cap on the number of people allowed to gather for weddings, funerals and other social functions to 100. Weddings have also been allowed at locations other than residences and courts, the order stated.
The lockdown was imposed on May 3 and it has been extended weekly with minor relaxations since then. Until Sunday, only 50 people were allowed to attend weddings and funerals. However, officials confirmed that the cap has been doubled now. Further, as per the order, the number of people allowed to gather in open spaces has been increased to 200 persons.
Relaxations were also issued for educational institutions, with universities and colleges being allowed to open for doubt clearing classes, practical laboratory sessions and offline examinations. Hostels have also been allowed to reopen, but only for students taking examinations. The order stated that open training centres, opened under the aegis of Haryana Skill Development Mission, are also allowed to open but with the staggered presence of students.
Coaching institutes, libraries and training institutes (both government and private) have also been allowed to open with appropriate Covid-19 safety protocols. Industrial training institutes (ITIs) in the state can also open for doubt classes and practical classes, the order stated.
The order also allowed the vice-chancellor of the National Law University, Delhi, to hold a common entrance test on July 23 in the state. “All commercial and educational institutions, which have been allowed to open, will have to follow strict Covid-19 safeguards. Wearing of masks and maintaining social distance must be strictly observed,” said a spokesperson for the district administration.
