Prayagraj: Covid-19 curfew norms to be relaxed in in district from June 1

PRAYAGRAJ: Following a fall in the number of active Covid positive cases, the lockdown restrictions in the Prayagraj district would be relaxed from June 1. With this, the people of Sangam city would heave a sigh of relief as the ongoing month-long corona curfew will be eased.
The orders in this regard were issued by the district magistrate Bhanu Chandra Goswami on Monday following the count of active cases in Prayagraj coming below 600. With this, the district has qualified for the relaxations as per norms set by the state government.
Earlier, the relaxations were to be extended in mere 55 districts of the state but would now be provided in 61 districts based on the same grounds. Following the relaxation, now markets of the city would be opened from 7am to 7pm, from Monday to Friday. However, the weekend curfew (Saturdays and Sundays) and the night curfew (7pm to 7am) will continue as before. Likewise, there will be no easing of the curbs in any of the containment zones, informed ADM (city) AK Kanaujia.
This is the first time the district will be getting these relaxations since the partial corona curfew was introduced on April 30 and since then was extended several times. The last extension was till 7am on May 31.
As per the DM order, restaurants will be allowed to operate only for home deliveries.
However, roadside dhabas, carts and kiosks along the highways and the expressways besides supermarkets would be allowed to remain open and function while observing the corona protocol of wearing facemasks and maintaining social distancing. But shopping malls, cinema halls, coaching institutes, swimming pools and gyms will stay closed till further orders, the ADM (city) said.
All schools, colleges and other educational institutions would remain closed for academic activities but secondary and higher educational institutors would be allowed to undertake online teaching as per their departmental orders.
The order says that all staff of those government departments that are involved in Covid-19 related works would attend offices while in other government offices, 50 per cent staff would be called and the others would remain could be called in case of need.
Offices of private companies would be allowed to open and function while observing the Covid-19 protocol, though they would be encouraged to continue the ‘work from home’ option for employees. Likewise, banks, offices of finance, insurance and other companies officering financial services would also be open.
UPSRTC buses will operate as per their fixed capacities but no one would be allowed to travel while standing even as wearing facemasks and gloves would be mandatory for bus conductor and driver while passengers would also be required to wear facemasks. Two people on two-wheelers, two passengers besides the driver on battery-operated e-rickshaws and four people on auto-rickshaws would be allowed.
Traders welcome move
Traders have welcomed the move of the state government and the district administration of extending the corona curfew relaxations. President of Zila Vyapar Pratinidhi Mandal, Prayagraj Mohd Qadir said that all traders and shopkeepers were eagerly waiting for this decision and finally would be able to start earning to make up for the losses that the Covid-19 and resulting lockdowns have had on their business.
President of Prayagraj Vyapar Mandal Vijay Arora said that he along with a delegation met the DM Bhanu Chandra Goswami and the IG, KP Singh. While welcoming the move, we have requested that no shopkeeper should be harassed for opening their shops and only those found flouting the set norms be fined.