GUWAHATI: Assam has decided to strictly impose curfew from 6 pm to 6 am during the two-week extended nationwide lockdown from Monday even as it has relaxed certain restrictions in green zones, including resumption of intra and inter district bus services with 50 per cent passengers
Assam currently has 29 green zone districts and four orange zone districts including Morigaon, Goalpara, Dhubri and Bongaigaon.
Addressing reporters here on Sunday evening, Assam health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that barring emergency services, the 12-hour curfew would be strictly applicable to others and the state government has given strict instructions to police to enforce the curfew.
“Inter-district and intra district bus services will resume from tomorrow with 50 per cent occupancy while private city buses will operate under authority of Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) only. No buses would however be allowed to enter or exit orange zones except non-stop movement through national highway or state highway through the orange zone,” Sarma said.
“Fifty per cent employees would be allowed in government and private offices. Wearing of masks along with adherence to all social and physical distancing norms will be mandatory. However, women employees having children below 5 years need not come to office,” he said.
Sarma further said that standalone shops would be open in both urban and rural areas till 5pm while only one-third shops/showrooms in areas where there are adjacent shops would be allowed to reopen. “In other words, there should be at least two closed shops between one open shop. However, prior to opening shops, the deputy commissioners in consultation with market associations will identify the shops and allow them to be operational,” he added.
The one-third norm will not apply to grocery, book stores and pharmacies.
“From tomorrow, all private hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centres and veterinary services would resume operations till 5pm,” he said.
“All forms of construction activities will begin from tomorrow but with 50 per cent workforce, while only takeaways and home delivery services from tea stalls, restaurants, ice cream parlours, juice shops, will be allowed. All e-commerce services will also be allowed from Monday,” Sarma said.
The minister further said that auto rickshaws, cycle rickshaws and cabs/taxis will resume operations with the one driver-two passenger norm. Pillion riding will only be allowed for two wheelers in case of a female pillion rider or one child above 12 years.
Restrictions
“Persons above 65 years of age and children below 12 years of age have to remain indoors except in case of medical emergency,” he said.
“All gymnasiums, shopping malls, market complexes, swimming pools, sports complexes, entertainment parks, bars, cinema, multiplexes, hair cutting saloons and beauty parlours will remain closed. Weekly haats and fish markets will also remain closed,” Sarma said.
“Besides, keeping in mind the African Swine Fever affecting pigs in the state, no vehicle with livestock can enter Assam,” he added.