Uttar Pradesh’s ‘Unlock 4’ guidelines: What’s new and what remains unchanged
Metro services will resume from September 7 in a graded manner under unlock 4. Social, religious, political functions will be allowed from September 21.
The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday night announced the Unlock 4 guidelines under which metro trains will be allowed to resume services from September 7 in a graded manner.
Social and religious congregations of up to 100 people are also permissible from September 21. However, schools, colleges and other educational and coaching institutions will remain closed for students till September 30, with some relaxations for students of classes 9 to 12 (September 21 onwards).
“Now, a district magistrate cannot impose any lockdown outside containment zones in the respective districts. However, the weekend statewide restrictions introduced by the state government, as they were announced on July 14, will continue till further orders,” said Uttar Pradesh chief secretary RK Tiwari in the guidelines that he issued on Sunday night.
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With these guidelines, the Yogi Adityanath government, in sync with the Centre’s Unlock 4 guidelines, has allowed more activities outside the containment zones but has kept some things unchanged. The Centre’s guidelines were announced on Saturday.
What’s new?
The metro trains, which have not run since March when the first phase of the lockdown came into effect, have been allowed to resume services from September 7. The resumption, however, will be gradual and graded. Standard operating procedure (SOPs) for metro operations will be issued later.
Students of classes 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit their schools in areas outside the containment zones voluntarily for taking guidance from their teachers. Students who volunteer to go to school will have to furnish prior written permission from their parents or guardians.
Now, 50 percent of teaching/non-teaching staff could be called to the schools for online education/consultation from September 21. The government would issue SOPs for it at a later date.
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Social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious, political functions and other congregations will be permitted with a cap of 100 people with effect from September 21. The organisers have to ensure social distancing norms and the wearing of masks.
Till September 20, a wedding can have not more than 30 guests while last-rites/funerals cannot have more than 20 people. However, after September 20, the new limit of ‘not more than 100 persons’ would be introduced.
Open-air theatres will be permitted to function with effect from September 21.
What remains unchanged
Apart from some relaxations for students of Class 9 to 12, schools, colleges and other educational and coaching institutions will remain closed till September 30. Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres and similar places will remain shut. International air travel of passengers, except as permitted by the home ministry, will not be allowed.
There will be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement of people and goods. No separate permission, approval, e-permit will be required for such movement.
Vulnerable people, those above 65 years of age, people with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years have been advised to stay at home. The use of Aarogya Setu mobile application will continue to be encouraged.
The coronavirus-induced nationwide lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 25 and was extended in phases till May 31. The Unlock process had begun on June 1 with the graded reopening of commercial, social, religious and other activities. Unlock 4 will come into effect from September 1 and will continue till September 30.
