PMC to re-chart zones put under containment

Civic body will issue fresh regulations for ‘Unlock 1.0’ bespoke to city’s situation; gardens to be thrown open with strict social distancing mandate

Following Centre’s announcement of Unlock 1.0 aimed at phased loosening of the lockdown, the state government has crafted Mission Begin Again, altering a few rules to suit the circumstances. Pune will have to wait for a day more for a clear order from civic authorities as the containment zones are set to be revised, depending on which, the relaxations will be applicable. While not much will change in Pimpri-Chinchwad, where the outbreak is relatively mild, the salons that opened last week, will be shut again.

While this order is to be implemented in three phases starting June 3, the clarity on changes in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) jurisdiction will be announced only on Monday. In this process, containment zones are to be demarcated afresh and some areas are likely to get relaxations considering the reduced number of patients.

Shekhar Gaikwad, PMC commissioner, said, “We will be changing the containment zones. Many relaxations have been provided in the order issued by the state government. We have studied the order and a city specific order will be issued on Monday.”

The residents of Pimpri-Chinchwad will have to wait longer to get a haircut if they haven’t already. While the salons were opened few days ago since the area was demarcated as green zone, now the places will be shut as per the new mandate. Shravan Hardikar, Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) commissioner, said, “Most of our implementations are being done in the similar way. We had allowed shops to remain open on alternate days and the timings were also same. So not much will change for PCMC except for the fact that the salons we had opened will have to shut again.”

According to the order, which closely follows the Centre diktat, the state will observe a night curfew between 9 pm and 5 am. While only the essential activities were to be permitted in containment zones, multiple relaxations have been provided in other areas. The municipal corporations will draft more rules for smaller containment zones like lanes, mohollas and gallis.

In the non-containment zones, citizens will be allowed resume many activities after June 3. Gardens and grounds will be allowed to reopen as per the new norms and physical activities like cycling, jogging, running and walking shall be permitted at these spaces. However, group activities will continue to be banned.

Plumbers, electricians and pest control will be allowed to resume only if they follow social distancing norms and take care about sanitisation. The government offices will be allowed to function at 15 per cent capacity.

In the second phase, all markets, except malls, will be allowed to open on odd-even basis — shops from one side of the road will remain open on one day and the outlets opposite to these shops will be allowed to stay open the next day. The timings for shops have been reduced and they are now allowed to open between 9 am and 5pm. Use of trial rooms will continue to be banned given the possibility of spread of infection. Shopkeepers will have to follow the social distancing norms and the citizens have been advised to visit neighbourhood markets for groceries — thus, discouraging long distance travel.

In the next phase, private offices will be allowed to function at 10 per cent capacity. Public and private transport will restart with revised seating patterns. Only one person will be allowed on a two-wheeler, two passengers will be allowed in threeand four-wheelers.

Salons, shopping malls religious places, train, schools, colleges, hotels and gymnasiums, swimming pools will continue to remain shut through this phase as well.