Amid surging COVID-19 cases, the Tamil Nadu government on Saturday announced more restrictions, including mandatory e-registration for those entering the State (except from Puducherry), which will come into force from 4 a.m. on April 26 (Monday).
Theatres, gyms, bars, recreation clubs, big-format shops, shopping complexes and malls will not be allowed to operate, while industrial establishments can function by following existing norms.
The government made e-registration mandatory at http://eregister.tnega.org for those entering Tamil Nadu, including from abroad.
The 10 p.m.-4 a.m. curfew and the total lockdown on Sundays would continue, an official statement said.
The statement pointed to the increasing number of cases and also expressed concern over members of the public not following safety norms.
Auditoriums and meeting halls will not be allowed to function. Independent vegetable and grocery stores and departmental stores will be allowed to operate without air conditioning and with 50% footfall at any point of time.
Beauty parlour, spas, saloons and barber shops will not be allowed to operate in the Greater Chennai Corporation, other municipal corporations and municipalities. Only takeaway services will be allowed at restaurants, hotels and tea shops, while hotels and lodges can deliver food to their customers only through room service.
All types of e-commerce can function within the permissible time. The public will not be allowed at the places of worship, where the rituals can be performed by employees.
The government also changed its norms for kumbhabhisekam and barred the public from attending these events. Consecration can be performed by temple employees. Earlier, it allowed such events that had already been planned to proceed with a maximum of 50 people, along with the employees of the temple and the temple administration, in compliance with the protocol. However, new consecration events will not be allowed.
Not more than 50 persons (as opposed to 100 earlier) will be allowed at marriage functions, while not more than 25 persons (previously 50) will be allowed at funerals.
Operation of golf and tennis clubs and sports academy will not be allowed; however, training for national and international events will be permitted.
The government said 50% of the workers of information technology companies must compulsorily work from home. It also reiterated that private and government buses could be operated only with seated passengers.
The government also warned of action if the norms for operating rental taxis, cabs and autorickshaws were violated. Rental taxis and cabs could operate with a maximum of three passengers, while autorickshaws could carry a maximum of two passengers, apart from the driver.
Industrial establishments could operate in compliance with the standard operating procedures issued on April 18 and April 20, without any change, the government said. It also requested employees to wear their identity cards while commuting to work.