Tamil Nadu on Saturday announced a new set of Covid-19 related restrictions, which will be imposed from 4am on April 26 on top of the existing measures in the state to curb the transmission of the coronavirus, a government order showed. “Despite the various measures taken by the government to control the coronavirus infection, the daily cases have increased every day as the people have been found without face-masks in public places and not following proper social distancing norms,” the order in Tamil said.
Under the new restrictions, all people trying to enter Tamil Nadu from other states except the Union territory of Puducherry need to register online on the state’s official website for e-registrations. Also, the maximum number of people allowed at weddings has been capped at 50 and for cremations and burials, the limit has been capped at 25. The government has also ordered that cinema theatres, gymnasiums and other places where people gather in crowds would remain closed.
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Here is a list of all the new restrictions which are set to come into effect starting 4am on April 26:
- All theatres, gymnasiums, recreation clubs, bars, auditoriums, meeting halls and other places where people gather in crowds to be closed.
- Shopping complexes and malls are not permitted to operate. However, shops selling vegetables and other shops have been exempted, but have been directed to follow Covid-19 appropriate behaviour. Also, such shops within malls and shopping complexes are not permitted to operate.
- Supermarkets and departmental stores have been asked to operate without air conditioning and allow only 50 per cent of customers at a time.
- Beauty parlours, spas, salons and barbershops have been asked to stay shut. Restaurants, messes, hotels and tea shops are allowed to operate only for take-away services and dine-in has been denied. Lodges will supply food to their guests in their rooms.
- All places of worship will be closed for public access. However, employees in these places have been allowed to carry out routine rituals. A ban on religious gatherings is already in effect since April 10 in the state. Temple consecration festivals can happen with the participation of the employees alone. Earlier, public attendance was capped at 50 and this stands cancelled now.
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- Maximum attendance for weddings and other related events capped at 50, while those for cremation and burials have been capped at 25.
- IT and ITES companies have been mandated to have 50 per cent of their workforce working from home. Sports and training complexes will not be accessible for the public, but athletes training for national and international events have been exempted.
- Except for Puducherry, passengers from other states and countries must register themselves in http://eregister.tnega.org and submit the proof of registration to gain entry into the state.
- In public transport and private buses, no passenger would be allowed to stand and travel. In taxis, three passengers apart from the drive and in auto-rickshaws, two passengers excluding the driver are allowed.
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- Maximum attendance for weddings and other related events capped at 50, while those for cremation and burials have been capped at 25.
- IT and ITES companies have been mandated to have 50 per cent of their workforce working from home. Sports and training complexes will not be accessible for the public, but athletes training for national and international events have been exempted.
- Except for Puducherry, passengers from other states and countries must register themselves in http://eregister.tnega.org and submit the proof of registration to gain entry into the state.
- In public transport and private buses, no passenger would be allowed to stand and travel. In taxis, three passengers apart from the drive and in auto-rickshaws, two passengers excluding the driver are allowed.
The government also noted that the existing night curfew and the Sunday curfew, imposed earlier on April 18, would continue to be in effect without any changes. It also mandated face masks in public places for the people along with proper social distancing norms.
Tamil Nadu on Saturday reported 14,842 new Covid-19 cases, as the state’s tally reached 1,066,329 and 80 patients succumbed to the disease on the day, taking the death toll to 13,475 a bulletin from the health department showed. Active cases went past the 100,000-mark and currently stand at 100,668, a multi-fold increase from the 13,070 active cases reported earlier on March 28.