Lockdown 4.0 in Tamil Nadu begins today: Key Highlights
Oly Banerjee, INN/Gwalior, @Infodeaofficial
The government of Tamil Nadu on Sunday extended the COVID-19 lockdown for two more weeks till May 31, with relaxation in 25 districts including Coimbatore, Salem, Trichy, Nilgiris; aimed at opening the economy, and fueling all business, markets, offices, industries along with plying of buses in all zones, barring containment.
Domestic and international flights and metro rail will remain out of bounds for the general public even as shopping malls, cinema halls, schools, colleges, hotels and restaurants, and religious and political gatherings will continue to remain prohibited.
The government has allowed inter-state movement of buses and private vehicles, with some restrictions like 20 persons in a bus, 7 in vans, 3 in SUV’s and 2 in compact cars (other than drivers) but only for those permitted to travel for work-related duties or in need of essential goods.
This move is expected to greatly ease public transportation and is likely to come to the immediate help of migrant labor on the roads. Now onwards, there is no need to possess e-pass for plying vehicles within the district.
TN e-passes will be provided for inter-district travel, companies with workers below 100, can start operations with full workforce whereas industries with staff more than 100 have to operate on 50% strength, in areas under Corporation, Municipalities & Town Panchayat excluding Greater Chennai police limits.
Valuation of class XII board exam papers has been allowed.
Training of national/international sportspersons can be carried out with the permission of the Collector or Commissioner of the Chennai Corporation.
There’s still no fresh relaxation in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpet, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Ranipet, Tirupattur, Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Ariyalur and Perambalur till May 31. Outside tourists in Ooty, Kodaikanal, and Yercaud remain banned still now, existing conditions will continue to remain unchanged in containment Zones.
As of now, the opening of educational & research institutions, Metro Rail, EMUs, remains prohibited.
No cultural, sports events, public gatherings are allowed as of now. Only 20 people will be allowed to be present in funerals.
The nationwide lockdown was first imposed for 21 days starting March 25 and then extended on April 15 and later on May 4 with an aim to stem the spread of novel coronavirus (Covid-19). As India entered the 54th day of the lockdown, the total number of coronavirus cases in India surpassed China’s tally with 90,927 infections, and the death toll soared to 2,872 on Sunday. China, which has a total of 84,649 cases, stopped adding new cases for the last two months now, while India has been detecting almost 4,000 cases every day for the last few days.
