Haryana lifts curbs on opening of shops, malls

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government on Sunday lifted the restrictions imposed on the shops, restaurants, hotels and the shopping malls regarding the time limits during which they were allowed to open.

Now, there will be no such timing restriction to open and close the shops in the state, according to the order chief secretary Vijai Vardhan has issued while extending the lockdown for another fortnight from August 9 to August 23 morning as a “preventive and precautionary” measure to contain the pandemic.

The fresh guidelines will come into force from Monday.

Last week the state government had permitted all shops to operate from 9am to 10pm and the shopping malls were allowed to open from 10am to 10pm. The timings for restaurants and bars in shopping malls was 10am to 11pm, and standalone restaurants could operate 8am to 11pm.

Haryana had initially declared lockdown from May 3 and started unlocking as

cases fell.

As per the order that removes “restriction of timings”, the curbs regarding the 50% seating capacity will remain in place. The restaurants and bars, including in hotels and in malls, gyms and spas, club houses, restaurants, bars of the golf courses will have to follow the norms of allowing guests up to 50% of the seating capacity.

The restriction of social distancing norms, regular sanitisation and Covid-appropriate behavioural norms remain.

The orders say that the swimming pools will be allowed to open after adopting requisite social distancing norms while advising “all swimmers/practitioners/eligible visitors and staff to preferably get vaccinated with both doses of vaccine”.

The relaxations given vide earlier orders will continue. The gathering in indoor spaces will continue to be allowed up to 50% of the hall capacity with a ceiling of maximum 100 persons whereas in open spaces gatherings will be allowed up to 200 persons.

The religious places cannot let enter more than 50 persons at one time, while cinema halls in malls and standalone have been permitted to open with maximum 50% seating capacity.

The order reiterates that “No Mask-No Service” principle will be strictly observed in the state. People with face cover/mask will be allowed to board public/ private transport and enter any other government and private establishment.