Deserted look of Mumbai iconic monument like CSMT, Hutatma Chowk, Marine Drive’s Queens Necklace, and Gateway of India.

Coronavirus India updates: The Covid-induced nationwide lockdown in containment zones has been extended till June 30, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Saturday, adding that reopening of prohibited activities in areas outside the containment zones will be done in a phased manner. The fifth phase of the lockdown will commence from June 1.

Starting June 8, religious places hotels, restaurants and shopping malls will be allowed to open, the MHA stated in a slew of fresh guidelines. However, international air travel, metro services cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places remain prohibited.

The country recorded 265 fatalities and 7,964 infections as on Saturday, taking the total number to 1,73,763, including 4,971 deaths as oer the Health Ministry data. Follow coronavirus India LIVE UPDATES

Lockdown 5.0 in containment zones extended up to June 30

India will enter its fifth phase of the lockdown starting June, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Saturday said, adding the nationwide lockdown will be extended till June 30 in containment zones. “Reopening of prohibited activities in areas outside containment zones to be done in phased manner,” it said in its fresh guidelines. The issued guidelines said, states, and Union Territories should identify buffer zones outside containment zones, where new cases are more likely to occur. Based on the assessment of the situation, states, UTs may prohibit certain activities outside containment zones or impose restrictions.

Phase I (From June 8): Religious places and places of worship for public, hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services, shopping malls to open.

Phase II: Schools, colleges, educational/training/coaching institutions will be opened after consulting with states and UTs. State, UTs to hold consultations with parents, other stakeholders on re-opening of academic institutions from July.

What remains prohibited: International air travel of passengers, metro rails, cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places. No social/political/sports, entertainment/academic/cultural/religious functions and large congregations to take place.

What is allowed: Inter-state and intra-state movement of people and goods. No separate permission is required for such travels.

Night curfew timing revised: Movement of individuals prohibited between 9 pm and 5 am across country.

From 01.06.2020
●Within Containment Zones, #Lockdown restrictions to continue till 30.06.2020
●#Unlock1 All activities to be relaxed in phased manner outside containment zones, as per @MoHFW_INDIA guidelines
●States may impose restrictions/prohibit activities as per assessment pic.twitter.com/LDbmvf6Gfa

— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) May 30, 2020

Indians stranded overseas to return from June

The Indian Navy announced that the next phase of Operation Samudra Setu will start from June 1 to repatriate Indians who are stranded overseas amid the coronavirus pandemic. “In this phase, Indian Navy Ship Jalashwa will repatriate 700 personnel from Colombo, Republic of Sri Lanka to Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu and subsequently repatriate another 700 personnel from Mal, Republic of Maldives to Tuticorin,” the Navy said in its press release.

The Navy already repatriated 1,488 Indian nationals from Mal? to Kochi during the previous phases of the operation. On Saturday, the Indian Navy said, “Indian Missions in Sri Lanka and Maldives are preparing a list of Indian nationals to be evacuated and will facilitate their embarkation after requisite medical screening.”

INS Jalashwa sails out for next phase of Operation Samudra Setu.

Bengal extends lockdown till June 15, Punjab till June 30

Within minutes of Centre extending the nationwide lockdown in containment zones till June 30, West Bengal announced extension of lockdown till mid June along with further relaxations and conditions. In its official order, Bengal government has allowed TV and cinema production to function from June 1.

Meanwhile, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh declared four-week extension of coronavirus lockdown till June 30. He said his government will take into account Centre’s guidelines for lockdown 5.0. He directed Bharat Bhushan Ashu to ensure distribution of face masks along with ration kits among the needy and poor.

Shopkeepers were told not to open shops as the previous order of opening shops and businesses put on hold by State Government, Punjab Police officials keeps vigil at a deserted marketplace in wake of continued curfew in place at Chunni Kalan Market in Fatehgarh Sahib District of Punjab on Thursday, April 30 2020. Express Photo by Jasbir Malhi

Delhi-Moscow AI flight returns midway

An Air India flight from Delhi to Moscow on Saturday had to return midway after the airline’s ground team was informed that one of their pilots had tested positive for the virus. The Airbus A320 plane departed around 7.15 AM for Moscow to bring back a group of stranded Indians under the Vande Bharat evacuation mission and it was back in Delhi by 12.30 PM following orders from the authorities, officials in the airline and aviation regulator DGCA told PTI.

The flight was called back immediately and it returned to Delhi at around 12.30 pm on Saturday, the officials said. The crew has been quarantined and another plane would be sent to Moscow to bring back the stranded Indians, according to the officials. Two senior bureaucrats confirmed that there was a “lapse” on the part of officials responsible to scrutinise the coronavirus test reports of the crew members and that they did not look at the pilot’s test results properly. The Director General of Civil Aviation has already begun an investigation into the case based on a preliminary report by Air India, the officials said.

The flight was called back immediately and it returned to Delhi at around 12.30 pm on Saturday, the officials said.(Representational Image)

18 test positive after attending Covid-19 patient’s funeral

At least 18 people, who attended the funeral of a COVID-19 patient, tested positive for coronavirus in Ulhasnagar town of Maharashtra’s Thane district, a civic official said. Defying orders, at least 70 persons had attended the funeral of a 40-year-old woman. The woman’s body was handed over to her family with specific instructions to not open the bag, but they opened the wrapped body to perform the last rites on May 25, the official said.

The police were first alerted about the funeral, following which the civic authorities were notified, he said. When the 70 mourners, including close relatives, were tested for the infection, reports of 18 came out positive on Friday, he said. A case has been registered against the deceased’s family for violating provisions of the Epidemic Act, the official added.

Relatives wear PPE kit while attending funeral of a Covid-19 patient at Nigam Bodh Ghat in Delhi.

Help those left poor by lockdown: UP CM Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to provide an interim assistance of Rs 2,000 to those left destitute by the coronavirus lockdown and Rs 1,000 to those who do not have ration cards to get foodgrains. In the event of death of a destitute person, he directed them to provide Rs 5,000 as assistance for performing the last rites, an official spokesperson said, as per PTI.

During a meeting to review the lockdown, he directed officials to ensure immediate treatment to destitute people having serious illness even if they are not covered under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana or the Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana, he said. He also asked for making food and drinking water arrangements for workers and labourers going to other states from UP. All those coming to the state should be properly screened and those found healthy should be sent for home quarantine with ration kits.

NGO distributes food to migrants waiting outside the Guru Nanak Dev Stadium for medical screening in Ludhiana after that they shall be taken to railway station to board on Shramik Special train for Gonda in Uttar Pradesh .

Over 500 domestic flights operated on Friday

A total of 513 domestic flights carrying 39,969 passengers were operated in India on Friday, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said. Ever since the resumption of flight on May 24, a total of 1,827 flights have operated till Thursday.

Puri said on Twitter on Saturday: “Day 5. 29th May till 2359 hrs. Departures 513. 39,969 passengers handled. Arrivals 512. 39,972 passengers handled.” A departure is counted as a flight during the day.

Domestic civil aviation operations continue smoothly.

Day 5
29th May 2020 till 2359 hrs.

Departures 513
39,969 passengers handled.
Arrivals 512
39,972 passengers handled.

Total movements 1,025 with 79,941 footfalls at airports.
Total number of flyers 39,969 pic.twitter.com/gKxXljGPZv

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) May 30, 2020

Four steps ahead of coronavirus: Delhi CM

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said his government was “four steps ahead” of the novel coronavirus and assured citizens that it was more than prepared to tackle the virus. “I want to assure Delhi residents that your government is four steps ahead of the coronavirus. We are making of plenty arrangements that are much more than the requirements. We are more than prepared to tackle it,” Kejriwal said.

The aim of the government is to ensure that that the number of deaths from Covid-19 should not rise even if the count of patients were rising, he said. “We have arranged for enough beds,” he said. “More beds are being arranged.”

We have procured large number of beds to treat Corona patients. Though the number of cases are rising, we have sufficient arrangements to treat them. https://t.co/vOm9Vfgx7f

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 30, 2020

We have procured large number of beds to treat Corona patients. Though the number of cases are rising, we have sufficient arrangements to treat them. https://t.co/vOm9Vfgx7f

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 30, 2020

BJP chief says COVID-19 situation under control in India

Addressing the media via video-conference Saturday to mark the government’s first anniversary during its second tenure, BJP president J P Nadda Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has led from the front during the coronavirus pandemic, and taken bold and timely decisions to combat the coronavirus disease. He added that while may powerful countries find themselves “helpless”, the situation in India is under control.

“It has been a year of accomplishments and unimaginable challenges. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led from the front. He involved masses, took bold and timely decisions to combat coronavirus. While many big and powerful countries found themselves helpless against Covid-19, situation is still under control in India.” he said.

Nadda also said the Centre’s decision to implement the nationwide lockdown was “timely” as it helped check the spread of the disease.

Delhi Police barricades at India Gate, in New Delhi. (Express Photo: Amit Mehra)

Lockdown 5.0 from Monday: What to expect

The next phase of lockdown, which begins Monday, is likely to prune the list of prohibited activities further and allow states to decide on opening of malls and multiplexes, places of worship, and dine-in restaurants. The government may also consider relaxing night curfew hours based on suggestions from health experts. However, based on suggestions from various states, strict curbs are likely to continue in containment zones, and “there will also be some restrictions in 13 key cities where the concentration of Covid-19 cases is very high”, an official told The Indian Express.

Migrants walk home from Ahmedabad in Gujarat during the nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus. (Express Photo: Javed Raja)

Goa plans to bring back collector-approved travel pass system

The Goa government will re-introduce a system of issuing travel passes requiring approval of authorities as it faces a massive influx of people. Earlier this week, the government had replaced the system with self-generated e-passes.

“The state witnessed a huge inflow of people in the last few days. We need to cap the number of arrivals in the state. Once the travel pass system is introduced, the health authorities will know how many people are going to arrive on a particular day,” state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said.

Meanwhile, as those who are entering the state are mandated to undergo a COVID-19 test, the arrival of people in large numbers is putting a strain on the medical infrastructure.

Almost every other state has seemed reluctant in sharing information, especially those relating to the dead. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

Delhi not only state non-transparent with tally

For the second consecutive day, Delhi reported more than 1,000 new cases on Friday. The number of infected people who have died could be even more since Delhi has added only those cases where the “primary cause of death” has been determined to be COVID-19 by a Death Audit Committee.

Earlier this month, a big discrepancy was noticed in the death numbers being put out by the Delhi government and the information available from the hospitals. But Delhi is not the only state which has been less than transparent in reporting COVID-19 numbers. Almost every other state has seemed reluctant in sharing information, especially those relating to the dead. West Bengal has already been in this situation earlier, having been forced to add deaths that were not being included in the tally.

Karnataka govt withdraws Sunday Curfew this week

The Karnataka Government Saturday withdrew the ‘Sunday Curfew’ across the state. All normal services will continue tomorrow from 7 am to 7pm. According to the order by Karnataka Chief Secretary TM Vijaybhaskar, the Sunday curfew was withdrawn following a request by the general public.

Since services will run as usual during the day, KSRTC buses will also be allowed to run tomorrow. At least 3,500 buses will be in service, KSRTC PRO said.