UNLOCKING INDIA: WHAT OPENS IN WHICH PHASE?

PHASE 1

■ Religious places of worship, hotels and restaurants, and shopping malls will be allowed to reopen from June 8.

PHASE 2

■ Schools, colleges and other educational institutions will be reopened, but only after discussions with all stakeholders, including parents. The final decision will be taken in July.

PHASE 3

■ International air travel may be restarted, with exceptions as listed by the Home Ministry. Metro services may also be re-started.

■ Cinema halls, gyms, swimming pools, theatres, bars and other places of assembly likely to be allowed.

■ Social, political, sporting, cultural and religious functions, as well as all other large congregations, may be allowed.

WHAT ELSE HAS CHANGED?

■ Night curfew hours — previously enforced from 7 PM to 7 AM across the country — have been reduced to 9 PM to 5 AM, except for essential activities.

■ There is no restriction on interstate and intra-state movement of persons and goods, and no separate permission or e-permit is required for such movement.

■ However, states and union territories can, for reasons of public health and given Covid-19 cases in its area, can place such restrictions, but only after wide publicity in advance.

■ All employers are urged, on “best effort basis”, to ensure their employees have installed the Aarogya

Setu app, the government’s contact-tracing software.

■ Persons above 65, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women and children below 10 are advised to stay at home, except for essential and health purposes.

■ Wearing of face masks and maintaining social distancing remains mandatory in all public places, workplaces and during transportation.

■ The letter from the Ministry of Home Affairs setting the pace for phasing out of the lockdown process.

■ The work-fromhome policy should be followed as far as possible, the

Home Ministry said.

■ It also called for staggering of working hours for all offices, shops and commercial establishments.