The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued new guidelines on Wednesday for ‘Unlock 5’, permitting more activities in areas outside the containment zones.
According to the latest guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), cinemas, theatres and multiplexes can open in areas outside the containment zones from October 15 with up to 50 per cent of their seating capacity. The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Entertainment parks and similar places will be permitted to open from October 15. The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in this regard.
Swimming pools, used for training of sportspersons, are allowed to reopen from October 15. The SOP will be issued by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
State government and UT can allow social, cultural, religious and political gatherings of more than 100 people after October 15.
Business to business exhibitions will be allowed to open after October 15.
International travel, except those permitted by the Centre, will continue to remain shut.
For re-opening of schools and coaching institutions, States and UT governments have been given the flexibility to take a decision after October 15, 2020, in a graded manner. The decision shall be taken in consultation with the respective school/institution management, based on their assessment of the situation.
Online/distance learning shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and shall be encouraged.
Students may attend schools/institutions only with the written consent of parents. Attendance must not be enforced and must depend entirely on parental consent.
Department of Higher Education (DHE), Ministry of Education will take a decision on the timing of the opening of colleges and other higher education institutions, in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), based on the assessment of the situation. However, in the immediate future, institutions only for research scholars and postgraduate students from the sciences and technology streams that require laboratory work will be permitted to open. Strict enforcement of lockdown will continue in containment zones till October 31.
