Home Ministry allows reopening of all shops excluding malls in non-hotspot areas

After a month of implementation of an all-India lockdown, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday allowed reopening of certain categories of shops that are registered under the Shops and Establishment Act to open. The order said that shops in market complexes outside the municipal corporation and municipality limits are exempt from revised consolidated lockdown restrictions.

The government also allowed the opening of the neighbourhood and stand-alone shops, including those located in residential complexes within municipal areas. The Home Ministry's order has made it mandatory for shops to operate at 50 per cent strength and after taking necessary precautions.

However, the order signed by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, made it clear that shops in multi-brand and single-brand malls located in municipality areas shall continue to remain closed till May 3. Importantly, the relaxations also do not apply in hotspots and containment zones.

This fresh round of relaxations in restrictions comes on the day when India registered the biggest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases, with 1,752 infections, which took the tally to 23,452. The death toll stands at 723.

The ongoing coronavirus lockdown in the country was announced for 21 days initially on March 24, 2020, however, it was later extended for another 19 days on April 14, 2020. It is scheduled to be lifted on May 3, 2020.