Covid: UP reduces night curfew timings by two hours from next week

The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday decided to give relaxation of two more hours during the night 'corona curfew' across the state from June 21 with the improvement in the COVID-19 situation.

From next Monday (June 21), the night curfew hours will be effective from 9 pm to 7 am. So far, the restrictions were effective from 7 pm to 7 am the following day.

During the meeting to assess the COVID-19 management, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed relaxation of two more hours in the curfew period, Additional Chief Secretary (Information) Navneet Sehgal said in a statement.

"Amidst the improved conditions of COVID infections, further relaxation will be given in the corona curfew from coming Monday, June 21," he said.

Besides, restaurants and malls can be opened at 50 per cent capacity with strict compliance of COVID protocol, Sehgal said.

Similarly, permission will also be given to open parks and operate street food kiosks, etc. he said, while adding that setting up COVID help desks at these places will be mandatory.

The detailed guidelines regarding the new system would be issued in time, Sehgal said.

According to a government statement, CM Adityanath told the meeting that the pandemic situation in the state is getting better with every day and the spread of the virus has now weakened, but the risk of infection still remains.

He said all necessary arrangements are being made to prevent a possible third wave of the pandemic and a special programme of door-to-door distribution of medical kits for children below 18 years has been started from Tuesday.

"This is a very important programme. Medicine kits should be provided to the monitoring committees by the minister in-charges in the districts. When the monitoring committees give medicine kits, the details like names, addresses, phone numbers, etc. of the beneficiaries should also be obtained," the CM told the officials.

Earlier on June 9, the government had directed continuation of the night curfew from 7 pm to 7 am while giving certain relaxations in the curfew period in all 75 districts of UP.

On Monday, 74 more fatalities in UP took the death toll in the state to 21,858 while 339 fresh cases pushed the infection tally to 17,02,937.