Haryana govt extends lockdown till July 26, but eases several curbs

The Haryana government on Sunday extended the coronavirus lockdown in the state by another week, till July 26, while allowing restaurants, bars and clubs to open for one more hour, up to 11 pm.

According to the an order issued by Chief Secretary Vijai Vardhan, "The Mahamari Alert-Surakshit Haryana is extended for another week, that is from July 19 (5 am onwards) to July 26 (till 5 am) in the state of Haryana."

Restaurants and bars including in hotels and malls are allowed to open from 10 am to 11 pm now as against from 10 am to 10 pm with 50 per cent seating capacity, according to the order issued by the chief secretary in exercise of powers under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

Home delivery from hotels, restaurants and fast food joints is permitted up to 11 pm.

Club houses, restaurants and bars of the golf courses are allowed to open with 50 per cent seating capacity from 10 am to 11 pm, the order said.

Gyms are allowed to open from 6 am to 9 pm with 50 per cent capacity, it said.

Norms related to social distancing, sanitization of premises and other COVID-19 appropriate behavioural norms will have to be strictly followed, the order read.

Night curfew will be imposed on all days of the week in the state from 11 pm to 5 am. Earlier, the timings were from 10 pm to 5 am.

Meanwhile, the lockdown relaxations with respect to opening of shops, malls, restaurants, religious places, corporate offices, will continue as currently in place.

Other relaxations regarding gatherings in weddings, funerals/cremations, open spaces will also continue.

"Now, after duly considering the fact that although the Covid positivity rate and the number of new Covid cases have declined, so as to continue the preventive and precautionary measures to contain the Covid pandemic the 'Mahamari Alert-Surakshit Haryana' is extended for another week..," the order said.

The state government has termed the lockdown "Mahamari Alert-Surakshit Haryana (Epidemic Alert-Safe Haryana)".

The number of daily COVID-19 cases have now come down to under 50 while the coronavirus-related fatalities have also registered a sharp fall in the state.

The lockdown, imposed by the Haryana government on May 3, has now been extended for the eleventh time.