Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday announced a complete lockdown across the state to curb the spread of Covid-19. The lockdown will be in force from 4 am on May 10 till 4 am on May 24.
Stalin announcement was made after holding consultations with medical and public health experts, and also as per the guidance of the Union Home Ministry. He said the decision was taken under the State Disaster and Management Act.
In view of the full lockdown, shops and other entities will be open this weekend (May 8 and 9) from 6 am to 9 pm. The government had previously announced a curfew on Sundays, which has been relaxed on May 9 in view of the impending lockdown.
E-registration is mandatory for travellers entering Tamil Nadu from other states and countries by flights, trains or by road.
Tamil Nadu lockdown: What’s allowed
* Hotels and restaurants can function from 6 am to 10 am; 12 pm to 3 pm; 6 pm to 9 pm for takeaways only. Tea shops (with take away service only) can operate till noon.
* Food delivery aggregators like Swiggy and Zomato will be allowed to operate during the above hours
* E-commerce companies are allowed to provide food, groceries, meat, provisions services
* Amma canteens will be open
* Flower and fruit pedestrian shops can operate till noon
* Ration shops will operate from 8 am till noon
* Hotels/lodges will be open only for customers who stay for financial/medical related works
* A maximum of 50 members are allowed to participate in marriages and 20 members in funerals
* Banks and other related services will operate with 50 per cent work force
* Apart from necessary state departments, like Secretariat, Health, Revenue and disaster management, police, fire, prison, forests, local municipal administration, women and social welfare, others won’t function
* Hospitals, labs and pharmacies, medical related shops, ambulance and hearse services will operate
* Courier services will function
* Lorries/tankers carrying fuel, oxygen, raw materials will be allowed to ply
* Ongoing construction work will be allowed to carry on
* Continuous processing industries and industries manufacturing essential commodities will continue to function
* Petrol/diesel stations will operate as usual
* All standalone groceries, fish and meat stalls will be allowed to operate till noon with 50 per cent customers
Tamil Nadu lockdown: What is not allowed
* Private and public bus transport, taxis, cabs, autos will not ply. People will be allowed to travel for marriages, funerals, and other emergency without proper records
* Restriction on international flight services will continue to be in force
* State-run liquor store Tasmac will not operate in the lockdown period
* Cultural, political, sports, entertainment, education, and other religious events are banned in both indoor and outdoor spaces
* Ban on Big Format Shops (with a size of more than 3,000 square feet), shopping complex, and malls will continue
* Beauty parlour, haircutting saloon, spas are not allowed to function. Other places like recreation clubs, all bars, entertainment and amusement parks which can draw a large number of crowds are not allowed to operate
* Theatres and multiplexes will remain shut
* Retail shops in Koyembedu market will remain closed
* Private companies including IT, ITES will remain closed. Staff are encouraged to work from home
* All places of worship will remain closed for the public
* Tourist places like Nilgris, Kodaikanal, Yercaud will not open for the public
* Schools, colleges, universities and private training institutes are not allowed to conduct summer camp