Tamil Nadu to resume bus services to Puducherry from July 12

Effective July 12, bus services to

neighbouring Puducherry would be operational and retail outlets would be permitted to be open till 9 PM, the government said on Saturday.

Announcing fresh relaxations under the ongoing 'unlock' exercise, the government said restaurants, shops and a variety of other retail stores that were previously allowed to function till 8 PM "with 50 percent occupancy rider," would get an additional hour from Monday.

Competitive examinations for central and state government services shall be permitted, an official release here said.

Till July 19, schools, colleges, zoos, cinemas, bars and swimming pools would continue to be closed down.

Also, social, political, sports, entertainment and cultural events would reamain prohibited as before.

Norms already in force, related to wedding ceremonies and funerals, that cap the number of participants at 50 and 20 respectively, shall continue, the government said.

Tamil Nadu clamped a lockdown from May 10 to combat the second wave of COVID-19 and from last month phased relaxations were provided in lockdown norms corresponding with a decline in virus cases.