#Unlock1: Limited activities including international air travel, Metro, gyms, swimming pools to be prohibited

Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday said the dates for the opening of international air travel of passengers, operation of metro rail, cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks will be decided based on the assessment of the situation in Phase III of #Unlock1.

MHA said that only a limited number of activities would remain prohibited throughout the country during #Unlock1, which will come into effect from June 1 and will be effective till June 30.

"Only a limited number of activities will remain prohibited throughout the country. These activities are international air travel of passengers; operation of Metro Rail; cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places; and, social/political/sports/entertainment/ academic/cultural/religious functions/and other large congregations. In Phase III, dates for their opening will be decided based on the assessment of the situation," said MHA in a release.

According to new guidelines of MHA, "there shall be no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods." No separate permission/approval/e-permit will be required for such movements, as per the MHA guidelines.

"However, if a State/ UT, based on reasons of public health and its assessment of the situation, proposes to regulate the movement of persons, it will give wide publicity in advance regarding the restrictions to be placed on such movement, and the related procedures to be followed," said the MHA.

According to the new guidelines for phased re-opening of areas outside the containment zones under which "all activities that were prohibited earlier, will be opened up in areas outside Containment Zones in a phased manner, with the stipulation of following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), to be prescribed by the Health Ministry."

The guidelines will come into effect from June 1, 2020, and will be effective till June 30, 2020. The current phase of re-opening -- Unlock 1 -- will have an economic focus, said the MHA.

The country is under the fourth phase of lockdown which will continue till May 31. The lockdown was first enforced in March to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The nationwide lockdown that the Prime Minister had first announced on March 24 was slated to end on May 17. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on March 24 announced the nationwide lockdown for 21 days. On May 14, he extended the lockdown till May 31.

On May 1, the MHA further extended the lockdown period to two weeks beyond 4 May, with some relaxations. The Central government had also announced Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package to combat COVID-19.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country is 1,73,763, including 86,422 active cases. While 82,369 patients have recovered after treatment, 4,971 deaths due to the infection have been reported so far in the country.

( With inputs from ANI )