India Unlock 4.0: Metro rail services to restart from September 7; schools, universities to remain closed
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Open-air theatres will be permitted to open with effect from September 21, the home ministry said.
India's Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) today issued new guidelines for Unlock 4.0 allowing Metro rail services to restart operations from September 7 in a "graded manner".
It also allowed social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious and political functions and other congregations with a "ceiling of 100 persons" from September 21. "The 'limited gathering' can be held with the mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing, provision for thermal scanning and hand wash or sanitizer", it said.
"Open-air theatres will be permitted to open with effect from September 21," it stated. There is also "no restrictions on inter-state and intra-state movement".
However, schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutions will continue to remain closed for students and regular class activity upto September 30.
"Online/distance learning shall continue to be permitted and shall be encouraged," it said. However, cinemas halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks will remain closed and international air travel of passengers will continue to be barred except as permitted by the MHA.
The press release said states and Union Territories will permit up to 50 per cent of teaching and non-teaching staff to be called to the schools at a time for online teaching and tele-counselling including related work.
Also, students of classes 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit schools in areas outside the containment zones.
The ministry further allowed higher education institutions only for research scholars and post-graduate students of technical and professional programmes requiring laboratory and experimental work.
The ministry asserted that lockdown shall be continued to be implemented strictly in containment zones till September 30th. The ministry also directed states not to impose any local lockdown outside containment zones.
The ministry further allowed