In important relaxations, city metro trains will operate with services resuming in a graded manner from September 7^th, while bars and restaurants can serve liquor to customers from September 1^st itself.

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs released unlock 4.0 guidelines on Saturday make it mandatory for states and UTs to consult the Centre before imposing any lock down in areas other than containment zones.

As per the Home Ministry guidelines, was necessary to ensure that supply chains are not disturbed by “Arbitrary” lock downs imposed at the district or city level which tends to adversary affect free inter-state and intra-state movement of goods. Traders Associations have also been up in arms over the weekend curbs in particular, protesting that it adversely impact business. In important relaxations, city metro trains will operate with services resuming in a graded manner from September 7th, while bars and restaurants can serve liquor to customers from September 1st itself.

Starting September 21, social, religious, academic, sports, entertainment, religious and political functions with a minimum congregation of 100 people will be permitted in non-containment areas, subject to norms. Marriage functions and funerals, which at present can have maximum 50 and 20 attendees, respectively, will also have a raised ceiling of 100 attendees after September 20. While schools and colleges will remain shut upto September 30, there is an easing for class 9 to class 12 students who can visit schools but with the return permission of parents, while 50% teaching and other staff can be called by schools from September 21^st.

Post-graduate students and those who need to conduct research and use labs will also be allowed. The norms will be effective from September 1^st to September 30^th. The MHA received representations from industry associations like FICCI and CII against local lock downs citing their adverse impact on supply chains and resumption of economic activity on full scale. The guidelines don’t bar the state from imposing local lock downs, they only require the Centre to be consulted before imposing them, said an official.

While cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment marks and theatres will stay shut, open air theatres can resume from September 21^st. with the guidelines lifting the ban on public consumption of liquor, tobacco products and gutka, bars can finally open their counters and restaurants can serve liquor from september1. The lock down will however, continue to be strictly implemented in the containment zones until September 30^th. Skill and entrepreneurship training institutes, including industrial training institutes will be permitted to function from September 21^st.

International air travel will be barred, except as allowed by MHA. Senior citizens and children below 10 years have been advised to continue staying at home except for meeting essential needs. National Covid- 19 norms will make it compulsory to wear face mask, maintain six feet distance at public places and require shops to ensure physical distancing among customers. Work from home practice is to be encouraged as far as possible.