Haryana govt allows opening of cinema halls, theatres with 50% capacity

The Haryana government eased some Covid-related restrictions in the state, allowing the opening of all cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes with 50 percent seating capacity

The Haryana government on Friday eased some Covid-related restrictions in the state, allowing the opening of all cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes with 50 percent seating capacity, a government order said.

"All cinema halls, theatres, multiplexes are allowed to open with 50 percent seating capacity while adopting requisite social distancing norms, regular sanitisation and Covid-19 appropriate behavioural norms," as per the order issued by the Haryana State Disaster Management Authority (HSDMA).

An earlier order of the HSDMA issued on January 5 had stated that cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes shall remain closed.

Friday's order also said, "Universities, colleges, schools (for classes 10 to 12), polytechnics, Industrial Training Institutes, coaching institutions, libraries, training institutes, both government and private, are allowed to open from February 1 for physical classes.

Education Minister Kanwar Pal had said on Tuesday schools for classes 10 to 12 will reopen in the state from February 1.

The Haryana government had earlier this month suspended physical classes in all schools amid the surge in COVID-19 cases.

The educational institutions will have to adopt requisite social distancing norms, regular sanitisation and Covid appropriate behavioural norms, the fresh order said.

"Concerned institutions may advise all the students of age group more than 15 years to have at least first dose of vaccination (against Covid), while attending physical classes," it said

Notably, various restrictions imposed by the January 5 order of the HSDMA in some districts, which had witnessed a big spike in cases, were imposed in all districts later.

Many other restrictions had on Wednesday been extended till 5 am of February 10.

Earlier on January 10, the Haryana government had banned large gatherings of people such as rallies and protests.

All sports complexes, swimming pools, gyms and stadia shall remain closed except when being used for training of sportspersons for participation in national and international events, the earlier order had said.

Haryana has witnessed a huge spike in Covid cases over the past few weeks.

To check the spread of the infection, the state government had banned people eligible for vaccination but not fully vaccinated from entering shopping malls, cinema halls, restaurants and grain markets, among other crowded places, starting January 1.

A night curfew from 11 pm to 5 am is already in force in the state.