AHMEDABAD: In line with the Centre's guidelines for Unlock 3 to ease curbs amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gujarat government on Thursday decided to lift the night curfew, allow shops to operate till 8 pm and permit restaurants to stay open till 10 pm.
As per a release issued after a high-level meeting headed by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, gyms and yoga centres will also be allowed to open from August 5.
"Night curfew will be completely lifted in the state from August 1," the statement said.
Apart from this, all shops will be allowed to remain open till 8 pm, while restaurants can operate till 10 pm, it stated.
In keeping with the Centre's guidelines, the state government has decided not to allow schools, coaching classes, and cinema halls to open in the month of August.
"The state will follow the guidelines of the Centre regarding things that are not allowed to be open (like schools etc), the release stated.
Rupani had on Wednesday said the state government's aim was to ensure that the deadly infection does not spread even as economic activities continue in the state.
Religious functions will not be allowed for upcoming festivals in August and if the COVID-19 situation continues like this, festivals like Navratri will not be observed, the chief minister said.
Starting August 1, citizens stepping out without masks will be fined Rs 500 as opposed to the previous penalty of Rs 200, he had said.
Gujarat has so far reported over 59,000 cases of coronavirus infection, while the toll stood at 2,396 in the state.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Thursday roped in another 15 private hospitals in the city to accommodate COVID-19 patients coming for treatment here from other parts of Gujarat.
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting attended by Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Mukesh Kumar and officer on special duty Rajiv Kumar Gupta, among others.
The AMC had earlier designated 59 other private hospitals to treat coronavirus patients in order to ease the burden on government-run facilities in the city.
As per the agreement, each hospital can utilise 50 per cent of their beds for private quota patients, while the remaining 50 per cent beds should be reserved for patients sent by the civic body.
While the government has already capped the treatment charges on private quota COVID-19 patients, it is the AMC which pays a stipulated amount to these hospitals for each coronavirus patient sent to them.
It recently came to notice that COVID-19 patients from other districts, which are witnessing a spurt in cases, are being admitted to these designated hospitals under private quota, Gupta said in a statement.
"To accommodate these outside patients, the AMC has decided to designate 15 more private hospital for coronavirus care. Since the AMC does not need more beds right now, these hospitals can utilise 100 per cent of their beds to admit patients under private quota," the senior IAS officer said.
This new arrangement would add 500 more beds for coronavirus patients in the city.
Gupta made it clear that patients from Ahmedabad can also be admitted by these hospitals.
If the need arises in the future, AMC has the power to acquire 50 per cent beds from these 15 hospitals, said Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary in the Forest and Environmental Department.