Lockdown extended till June 7, shopping malls to open
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 30
The state government on Sunday extended the lockdown by another week till June 7, while allowing shopping malls to open with limited footfall.
The state government termed the lockdown “Mahamari Alert-Surakshit Haryana (Epidemic Alert-Safe Haryana)”.
Addressing a virtual press conference, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said even though the Covid situation had improved in the state, it had been decided to extend the “Mahamari Alert-Surkshit Haryana” lockdown till 5 am on June 7 with some more relaxations.
He said shops which were earlier allowed to open as per the odd-even basis from 7 am to noon will now be open from 9 am to 3 pm.
“We had received representations from market associations, after which we decided to change the timings. However, the shops will continue to open as per the odd-even system,” Khattar said.
Malls would be allowed to open from 10 am to 6 pm, subject to certain conditions, he said. The number of visitors allowed inside a mall will depend on the size of the structure.
“For example, in a 1,000 sq ft mall, 40 people will be allowed at a time. If it has an area of 2,000 sq ft, the number of people allowed at a given time will be 80,” he said.
Those allowed entry can stay inside for a limited duration, and entry of others would be permitted based on how many are inside the mall at a particular time, Khattar added.
Colleges, industrial training institutes and schools would remain closed till June 15 as already announced, the chief minister said.
A cap of 11 persons has been enforced for the weddings and funerals. Marriage functions will be allowed either at homes or courts with strictly no movement of “barat” procession.
The Chief Minister said daily “corona curfew” timings in the state would continue from 10 pm to 5 am.
BOX
Cinema halls, bars closed
Cinema halls, restaurants and bars inside shopping malls will remain closed. However, hotels have been allowed to remain open on the condition that no conferences will be allowed. Restaurants and bars in hotels will remain closed, while one can stay there.
