Unlock 1 Plan Begins: Things You Should Know

Unlock 1 Guidelines - The coronavirus-induced lockdown 4.0 ended in India on May 31, 2020 (Sunday) and the nation is all set to enter phase 1 of the “Unlock Plan”. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has issued guidelines for the three-phased opening of the country which will take a few months.

The phased guidelines are only applicable in the non-containment zones as the lockdown will continue for one more month, i.e. till June 30, 2020, in the containment zones. Also, special instructions have been given for the inter-state and intra-state movement of goods as well as the individuals.

Here’s what is open and what is not during the ‘Unlock Plan’

Phase 1 of the Unlock Plan

The following activities will be allowed with effect from June 8, 2020:

Religious places/places for worship for the public
Restaurants, hotels, and other hospitality services
Shopping malls.

Phase 2 of the Unlock Plan

The date for the commencement of Phase 2 will be announced in July 2020.
In this phase, the Central Government will allow the reopening of the following places after consultation with States and UTs.
Schools, colleges, educational institutions, coaching institutes, training centers, etc.

Phase 3 of the Unlock Plan

The date for the commencement of Phase 3 will be announced based on the assessment of the situation. The government plans to restart the following activities under Phase 3 of the Unlock Plan.

International air travel, except as allowed by the Ministry of Home Affairs
Metro rail services
Swimming pools, movie theatres, gym, bars, entertainment parks, auditoriums, assembly halls, etc.
Gatherings for social, cultural, political, academic, sports, entertainment, and religious events among other large congregations.

Guidelines For Containment Zones

Containment zones will remain under lockdown until June 30, 2020
Containment zones will be demarcated by district authorities as per the guidelines of Union Ministry of Home Affairs
No movement of people will be allowed in and out of the containment zones except for medical emergencies and for maintaining the supply of essential goods and services
House to house surveillance, intensive contact tracing, and other clinical interventions will take place in the containment zones.

Note that inter-state and intra-state movement of goods and people is permitted from today, i.e. 1 June, 2020 without any e-pass or permission. But the states have the power to regulate the movement. Also, the night curfew will continue to be followed, but with a slight change in time. The night curfew will be applicable from 9 AM to 5 PM, unlike 7 PM to 7 AM as before.

People aged more than 65 years, pregnant women, children aged below 10 years, and people with co-morbidities are advised to stay indoors. They should be going out only for health and essential purposes.