New Delhi (NVI): The Uttar Pradesh government had announced that markets will now be allowed to open on Saturdays and weekend restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the virus will now only be limited to Sundays.
The state government order said all shops will remain closed and people’s movement restricted only on Sundays in Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad.
These restrictions will begin from Saturday midnight and continue till the next 24 hours, replacing the earlier lockdown-like curbs which began from Friday 10 pm and continued till 5 am on Monday.
However, the districts of Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar, both adjoining Delhi in western UP, have already opened borders leading to and from the national capital, the officials said.
“All shops, markets, commercial outlets shall remain closed on Sunday. On rest of the days, these can open from 9 am till 9 pm.” The special markets that were held on Sunday can be shifted to any other day of the week while the markets that remained closed on any weekday can shift the closure to Sunday,” the order stated.
Besides, all factories and IT firms may continue operations on Sunday also but maintain social distancing and face cover norms at work place.
“There will be no restriction on the movement of people engaged in essential services, corona warriors, sanitation workers and door-step delivery personnel,” it added.
Earlier on July 9, the state government had announced weekend restrictions mandating markets, shops to remain shut on Saturdays and Sundays during which extensive sanitisation drives were to be taken up to break the chain of COVID-19.
Furthermore, the order stated, “During the restriction period, health department officials and surveillance teams will carry out door-to-door medical surveys for COVID-19. The movement of people engaged in these activities will not be restricted and their identity cards will work as pass for them.”
Uttar Pradesh’s coronavirus tally rose to 2,35,575 after 5,343 more people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours, while 56 fresh fatalities pushed it’s COVID-19 death toll to 3,542
-RJV
