Lockdown 4.0: Tamil Nadu extends statewide curbs till May 31, resumes public transport in some areas

Chief Minister K Palaniswami said the lockdown is extended till May 31 and the curbs including bar on functioning of educational institutions, public entry into religious places and relaxations already in force will continue throughout the state.

Tamil Nadu on Sunday extended state-wide lockdown triggered by the coronavirus outbreak in the country and joined the list of states who have entered the fourth cycle of extension of restrictions.

Labourers work at a salt pan, during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the coronavirus, at Marakkanam in Viluppuram district. (PTI)

Additionally, Tamil Nadu has allowed resumption of public and private transport in 25 districts of the state beginning May 18, when the fourth phase of current nationwide lockdown kicks in. However, the same restrictions as seen during the third phase of lockdown will continue in 12 other districts including Chennai, which is among coronavirus hotspots in the country.

Chief Minister Palaniswami on Sunday afternoon made the announcement to extend the lockdown in the state by two more weeks till May 31 but with more relaxations. Tamil Nadu is the third-worst Covid-19 affected state in the country after Maharashtra and Gujarat. The number of positive cases in the state has crossed the 10,000-mark and reached 10,585 as on Sunday.

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Public transport in the state has been under suspension since March 24 evening, hours before the first phase of nationwide lockdown was clamped to contain the spread of Covid-19.

In the 12 other districts, the curbs in effect will continue even after the end of the third phase of lockdown on Sunday.

While the full range of additional exemptions granted in the 25 districts with the purpose of resumption of business and industrial activities have not been revealed yet, the state government has made it plain and simple that the restrictions on the functioning of educational institutions, public entry into religious places, mass gatherings for political and social purposes will continue.

It also clarified that no relaxations that are already in effect will be withdrawn.