J&K lifts weekend curfew in 8 districts

Businesses can now open throughout the week during the day in Shopian, Ganderbal and Bandipora districts in Kashmir valley and in five districts of Jammu division, including Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi and Udhampur

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday lifted the weekend curfew from eight districts of the union territory after significant improvement in Covid-19 situation.

Security personnel patrolling at a close market during lockdown in Jammu on Sunday. (ANI)

Businesses can now open throughout the week during the day in Shopian, Ganderbal and Bandipora districts in Kashmir valley and in five districts of Jammu division, including Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi and Udhampur.

The officials, after conducting a review of the spread of the pandemic this week, observed that there has been significant improvement in these eight districts (out of the 20 districts of the UT) in terms of total weekly cases, positivity rate, bed occupancy, case fatality rate and vaccination coverage.

“There will be no weekend curfew in these districts. However, the daily night curfew will continue from 8pm to 7am,” said an order signed by state executive committee (SEC) chairman and chief secretary Arun Kumar Mehta.

The daily Covid cases and deaths in the UT have witnessed a sharp fall with 650 average daily infections and nine average deaths per day in the past one week.

The second Covid wave had peaked in May in the UT with the highest daily cases of 5,443 on May 7 and the most single-day deaths of 73 on May 17.

The order said that all the outdoor shops and trades are permitted to open in these districts on all days from 7am to 7pm.

“The market associations will have to fully cooperate with the local administration in ensuring strict compliance to Covid appropriate behaviour,” the order said while allowing only 50% of the shops in indoor shopping complexes and malls to open subject to a roster to be issued by the deputy commissioners concerned.

All government and private offices can function without any restrictions subject to adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour.

The officials said that the weekend curfew from Friday evening to Monday morning in other 12 districts of the UT will continue to remain in force.

“All the outdoor shops and bazaars are permitted to open on five days in a week except on Saturdays and Sundays. Twenty five percent of the shops in indoor shopping complexes and malls can open subject to a roster to be issued by deputy commissioners concerned,” the SEC ordered.

The deputy commissioners were authorised to allow opening of paid and unpaid parks for the use of public, only after local assessment of the conditions.

The officials urged the district magistrates to ensure that there is full compliance to Covid appropriate behaviour. “The district magistrates shall constitute joint teams of police and executive magistrates for enforcement of Covid appropriate behaviour,” the order said.