E-Paper
How lockdown 4.0 is different from 3.0 and what remains unchanged
The government has further eased curbs in the two-week extension of lockdown announced on Sunday.
The fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus disease Covid-19 began on Monday. In this phase, the central government has further relaxed the curbs and the focus is on restarting the economy.
Before issuing guidelines for lockdown 4.0, the government announced a financial paclage worth Rs 20 lakh crore. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held a series of press briefings to give details of the financial package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week.
In fresh guidelines, the home ministry also allowed the resumption of app-based cab services; gave permission to the functioning of all shops, markets and commercial establishments except those in malls; and eased curbs on private offices that were previously allowed to function with 33% staff strength.
The two significant steps that stood out were the conditional approval to interstate movement of passenger vehicles and buses with “mutual consent” of the states and the Union Territories (UTs) involved, and the transfer of power to states for defining red, orange and green zones that have been instrumental in the strategy for imposing area-specific curbs in the previous phase of the lockdown.
In lockdown 3.0, interstate travel was a banned activity, except in special cases such as the transport of stranded migrants by bus.
Here is what has changed from lockdown 3 to lockdown 4:
• Division of zones: States/union territories can now define green, orange and red zones while taking into consideration parametres defined by the Union health ministry.
• Movement: Interstate movement f passenger vehicles and buses will be allowed after mutual consent by the states involved; states and union territories to decide on intrastate movement.
• Shops and markets: All shops except those in malls can re-open but certain conditions will apply. The markets have been asked to follow staggered business hours. The new guidelines state that only five people are allowed inside a shop at a time. They also specify that social distancing measures and frequent sanitisation are a must.
• Stadiums: Sports complexes and stadia have been permitted to open, paving the way for competitive sports to resume. However, spectators won’t be allowed.
• Aarogya Setu: The mobile application is no longer a must, but people have been advised to use the contact-tracing app. Employers have been asked to put in their best efforts to ensure staff members install it.
Other highlights
• While private offices were allowed to function with 33 per cent of staff strength, the fresh order does not mention any such restrictions.
• No bar on e-commerce players, who can resume delvery of all goods even in red zones.
• Ban on cab aggregators has been lifted.
What remains unchanged?
• Only special trains run by government are allowed.
• Only essential services permitted in essential zones.
• Night curfew between 7 pm and 7 am will be in place. However, essetial services are exempt from this measure.
• People above 65 years of age, children and those with existing health conditions have been advised to stay at home.
• Masks to be worn at all public places and offices.
• Spitting in public is a punishable offence.
Prohibited across country
• All passenger flights (international and domestic)
• Metro trains
• Dine-in restaurants and eateries
• Cinema halls, malls, gyms and assembly halls
• All religious/political gatherings
• Educational institutes
