CHANDIGARH, PATNA, RANCHI, KOLKATA & DEHRADUN: Punjab will now have only containment and non-containment zones and to extend the ban on inter-state bus service till May 31 while Bihar declared all block headquarters as red zones barring the district headquarters. In Bengal, containment zones will be divided into affected, buffer and clean zone. Lockdown was extended till May 31.
Uttarakhand decided to introduce odd-even system of traffic in selected cities, including Haridwar, Haldwani, Rudrapur, Kashipur, and Kotdwar. The districts will remain in lockdown as usual but the government offices will open from 10am to 4am. No crowd will be allowed at religious places and stadiums will be allowed to conduct sports without audience. Schools and malls will remain closed. “Decision will soon be taken on Inter-State bus es and opening of tourism,” said Uttarakhand Chief Secretary.
In a late evening decision, Bihar gave permission to reopen clothes shops on regulated way. If the number of shops is high, the district magistrates will decide the schedule of opening the shops on alternate days to prevent flouting of social distance. “Movement of Ola, Uber and other taxis will be permitted for medical purpose and dropping passengers to the railway station. Senior officials from deputy secretary rank to equivalent will attend work but only 33% of subordinate staff will be present in shifts daily,” the Bihar additional chief secretary said.
In Chandigarh, the Amarinder Singh government decided that for paddy cultivation, it will consult the Centre for bringing migrant workers from other states. When it comes to taxis and auto-rickshaws, the limit was set at three riders including the driver. Jharkhand decided that construction, warehouses, private offices, e-commerce and retail liquor shops were among additional activities permitted outside containment zones.