Coronavirus: Govt allows local shops to reopen; check out what opens, what remains closed

On Friday evening, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced that certain shops and establishments will be allowed to open from Saturday onwards. This order comes as a modification of the order issued by the ministry on April 15.

The MHA stated that shops registered under the Shops and Establishment Act of the respective states and UTs and market complexes outside municipality areas can resume operations with 50 per cent staff for the remainder of the lockdown. The order states that social distancing norms and wearing face masks will remain mandatory.

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It must be mentioned that these relaxations have only been announced for areas that have not been demarcated as containment zones and hotspots. Hotspots will continue to follow the restrictions till the lockdown ends.

Here's what will be open and what will remain closed as per the latest order:

OPEN

All markets can open in rural and semi-rural areas.

Non-essential items can be sold in all kinds of shops in the rural areas.

Non-essential items can be sold in urban areas if the shop is located at a residential area of is a standalone shop (registered under the Shops and Establishment Act).

Local salons and parlours will not be allowed to operate under the aforementioned rules.

#COVID19 update

All registered shops regd under Shops & Establishment Act of respective States/ UTs, including shops in residential complexes, neighborhood & standalone shops exempted from #lockdown restrictions.

Prohibited: Shops in single & multi brand malls pic.twitter.com/NNz9abgWdA

- Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) April 24, 2020

CLOSE

Market complexes in urban (municipal) areas will not be allowed to open. For eg, areas like Nehru Place and Lajpat Nagar will remain closed.

Shops in multi-brand and single-brand malls have still not been exempted and will remain shut.

Cinema halls, malls, shopping complexes, gymnasiums, sports complexes, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and other such places will remain closed.

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