Jaipur: The Ashok Gehlot-led Rajashthan government has extended the lockdown till May 17 since the number of coronavirus cases are rising exponentially. The restrictions, which were imposed from April 19 to to May 3, were extended for 15 days. The Home Department principal secretary issued the order, calling it ‘Pandemic Red Alert- Public Discipline Fortnight’.  The lockdown extension comes ass the state reported 155 deaths linked to the coronavirus and 17,155 fresh cases, bringing the fatality count to 4,239 and the infection tally to 5,98,001. Of the fresh cases, a maximum of 3,616 were registered in Jaipur, followed by 2,339 in Jodhpur.

Rajasthan Lockdown: What’s Allowed, What’s Not

  • All workplaces, except a few government offices engaged in COVID management, and markets would remain closed.
  • Retail and wholesale shops of grocery, flour mills, cattle feed will remain open for five hours from 6 am to 11 am on weekdays.
  • Dairy shops would operate daily from 6 am to 11 am and from 5 pm to 7 pm.
  • Wholesale markets, vegetable and fruit shops, garland vendors will continue to operate daily from 6 am to 11 am.
  • Vendors who sell fruits and vegetables on pull carts, e-rickshaws and others would also be allowed from 6 am to 11 am daily.
  • Optical shops will also be allowed to open on Tuesday and Friday from 6 am to 11 am.
  • Only 31 people will be allowed in marriage ceremonies and the wedding functions will be allowed for only three hours.
  • If anyone who is not under exempted category is found roaming, that person will be shifted to institutional quarantine facility till the RTPCR report is negative.

Meanwhile, the Gehlot government in the state has formed a group of three IAS officers for exploring possibilities of timely procurement of oxygen concentrators and other necessary equipment required for coronavirus patients. At the direction of the chief minister, the high-level group of IAS officers Subodh Agarwal, Preetam B Yashwant and Tina Dabi was formed.

The officers will look for the possibilities of early procurement of oxygen concentrators, oxygen regulators, humidifier and other equipment and will decide the modalities of the procurement, an order issued by the health department said.

(With agency inputs)