The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday issued guidelines for 'Unlock 3', allowing more activities outside the COVID-19 containment zones.
According to the guidelines, schools, colleges and other educational institutions will remain closed till August 31 while online and distance learning will be encouraged. Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and other similar places will also remain closed.
However, yoga institutes and gymnasiums will be allowed to function from August 5, for which a standard operating procedure (SOP) will be issued by the health ministry.
There will be no restrictions on inter-state and intra-state movement of people and goods. The passenger trains and Shramik special trains will continue to operate.
International air travel, except as permitted by the MHA, and metro train services will remain suspended. Social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural and religious functions and other large congregations will not be allowed.
Independence Day functions will be allowed with maintaining of social distancing to check COVID-19 spread.
Strict lockdown will continue in containment zones, the MHA said, adding that only essential activities will be allowed in these zones. “In the containment zones, there shall be intensive contact tracing, house-to-house surveillance and other clinical interventions, as required,” it said.
India's COVID-19 tally climbed to 15,31,669 with 48,513 fresh cases recorded in a day, while the country's death toll due to the disease rose to 34,193 with 768 fatalities being reported in the same period.
