In Unlock 4.0, the Tamil Nadu government allows intra-district buses, inter-state trains, places of worship, shopping malls, etc. to reopen with required safety protocols in place. By Tanvi Jain
You can now take passenger trains or intra–district buses in Tamil Nadu from September 7. As a part of the ongoing Unlock 4.0 in the country, the state has eased certain restrictions and has also lifted the complete lockdown, which it has been observing on Sunday’s for the past two months.
However, the government is still in the process of seeking facilitation to run buses from one district to another, that’s why as of now buses have been allowed to operate within the district only. Moreover, the trains will be allowed to run only on select routes, and those willing to travel to the state via train or flight will have to show a travel pass. Same goes for travelling to hill stations as well. But only inter-state rail services will operate, while intra-state will remain non-functional till September 15, and suburban trains will also remain suspended.
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Furthermore, the state has also allowed all places of worship to reopen for the public, and will soon release guidelines mentioning all safety measures such as limited number of devotees, etc. to be strictly followed. Same goes for hotels, restaurants, resorts and clubs, that have also been given the green signal to resume operations, but again with proper safety guidelines in place.
In fact, shopping malls, stores and showrooms can also reopen with full capacity, shops can function till 08:00 pm, but cinema halls, amusement parks, swimming pools, zoos, beaches, tourist spots, museums, schools and colleges, are still a big no. However, the film industry can start shooting with a capacity of 75 people, but no audience will be allowed. Metros, banks, government offices with a nodal officer to keep a check on safety norms, can also resume service with full capacity.
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Meanwhile, as far as travellers are concerned, the government has said that it will issue a new set of testing and quarantine protocols for both domestic as well as international flyers, and also for those coming from another state via a train. As per reports, the Chennai Airport will be allowed to receive only 50 flights per day.
These relaxations, however, don’t apply on containment zones, which will still remain under complete lockdown till September 30.
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