Noida relaxes Covid curfew from Monday, markets to reopen, schools to stay closed

Noida, Jun 6 (PTI) The Gautam Buddh Nagar administration has announced relaxation in Covid curfew after over a month, allowing shops and markets outside containment zones to remain open from 7 am to 7 pm from Monday to Friday.

However, educational institutes, including coaching centres, will remain closed while the Covid curfew will be in force over the weekends, it said.

in a written order on Sunday, District Magistrate Suhas L Y said certain activities outside containment zone would be allowed from 7 am to 7 pm Monday to Friday, subject to conditions.

"The night time curfew from 7 pm to 7 am would stay in place while the curfew will be in place over the weekend also," he stated.

According to the order, vegetable markets in densely-populated areas will function in open places.

Only home delivery will be allowed allowed from restaurants while street hawkers and vendors will be permitted with Covid-appropriate behaviour and distancing, it stated.

"Not more than five devotees will be allowed inside a religious place at a time while a maximum of 25 people allowed in a wedding function subject to social distancing and sanitisation. A maximum of 20 people will be allowed at a funeral procession," the order stated.

Schools, colleges and educational institutes will remain closed, it stated, adding online learning is to be encouraged.

"Coaching centres, cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, clubs and shopping malls will remain closed," according to the order.

While there would be full attendance for the frontline workers, for the rest of the government employees, there would be 50 per cent attendance on rotation basis, it stated.

The order made it mandatory for all offices, including private ones, to set up a COVID help desk.

"Industrial units will stay open following Covid-appropriate guidelines with mandatory Covid help desk," it stated.

"The private sector has been asked to encourage the employees to work from home. No employee is to be allowed with symptoms," it added.

Relaxations have been given to public transport but with certain conditions that include necessary screening of passengers as per appropriate guidelines.

According to the order, only two passengers will be allowed in 3-wheelers like autorickshaw, three in an e-rickshaw and four in 4-wheelers -- all subject to proper distancing and wearing of masks.

“Complete curfew will be in place on weekends after Friday 7 pm over the weekend, during which cleanliness, sanitisation and fogging campaigns will be carried out,” the order stated. PTI KIS TIR TIR