100% theatre occupancy from today, e-bookings preferable: Javadekar
NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: Cinema halls across the country will be permitted to operate at full capacity from February 1 with adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Prakash Javadekar announced on Sunday.
Adequate physical distancing, mandatory face masks and sanitisation of auditorium after every screening are among the latest SOPs issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Sunday, after the government allowed cinema halls to operate at 100 percent occupancy from Monday. Digital booking of tickets and staggered show timings to avoid crowding will be encouraged, the minister said, releasing a set of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
According to new guidelines, no film shall be allowed to screen in containment zones and states and union territories may consider "proposing additional measures" as per their assessment. To minimise physical contact, digital transactions should be the "most preferred mode" for booking tickets or payment. Contact number shall be taken at the time of booking of tickets to facilitate contact tracing. "Sufficient number of counters at the box office shall be opened with adequate physical distancing norms, to prevent crowding during physical booking of tickets," the SOPs read. Adequate time intervals between successive screenings on a single screen as well as on various screens in a multiplex shall be provided to ensure "row-wise staggered entry and exit of
the audience". The SOPs stated that the number of people in the elevators shall be restricted, with efforts to encourage the audience to avoid movement during the intermission.
Producers Guild of India and Multiplex Association of India (MAI) welcomed the decision. "We welcome the decision of @MIB_India to allow 100% capacity in cinemas from February 1 and extend our sincere gratitude to Honourable @PrakashJavdekar ji and everyone involved in facilitating our industry's recovery," the guild said on Twitter.