Metro Rail services to resume, schools to remain shut

New Delhi: Announcing the guidelines for Unlock 4.0 on Saturday, the Ministry of Home Affairs said the state governments should not impose any local lockdown outside containment zones without consulting with the Centre. It also said that Metro rail can resume its services from September 7 while social, cultural, religious, academic, sports or political gatherings will be permitted with a ceiling of 100 persons from September 21.

The directive on containment zones bears significance as sporadic and weekend lockdowns have been implemented by various state governments across the country.

Schools, colleges, other educational and coaching institutions will, however, remain closed for students till September 30, with some relaxations for students of Classes IX to XII.

The Coronavirus induced country-wide lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from March 25 and it was extended in phases till May 31.

The 'Unlock' process of the country had begun on June 1 with the graded reopening of commercial, social, religious and other activities.

Under the Unlock 4 phase, social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious, political functions and other congregations will be permitted with a ceiling of 100 people, with effect from September 21.

However, such limited gatherings can be held with the mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing and provision for thermal scanning and hand wash or sanitiser.

The permission to hold political and other gatherings came ahead of the Bihar assembly elections, which are due in October-November. Online or distance learning shall continue to be permitted and shall be encouraged.

The ministry added that states and Union Territory governments may permit up to 50 per cent of teaching and non-teaching staff to be called to the schools at a time for online teaching or tele-counselling and related work.

Students of Classes IX to XII may be permitted to visit their schools in areas outside the containment zones only on a voluntary basis for taking guidance from their teachers.

Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres and similar places will remain shut and international air travel of passengers, except as permitted by MHA, will not be allowed. Open-air theatres will be permitted to open with effect from September 21.

Metro rail services, which have been suspended since March 22, will be allowed to resume with effect from September 7 in a graded manner, by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MOHUA) and the Ministry of Railways (MOR), in consultation with the MHA. In this regard, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be issued by the MOHUA.

Sources said the SOPs for running the Metro trains have already been circulated and will be discussed on September 1 through video conference by the MOHUA with all Metro companies and finalised.

Unlock 4 will come into effect from September 1 and will continue till September 30.

There will 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.

Vulnerable persons, i.e., persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years, are advised to stay at home, except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes, the Home ministry said.