Reopening of shops: Bihar to decide by Sunday evening

The Bihar government on Saturday said it is deliberating on the Union Home Ministry's latest lockdown guidelines on reopening of shops and will come with an order on the issue by Sunday evening.

In a late night order on Friday, the MHA allowed reopening of neighbourhood and standalone shops, including those selling garments, mobile phones, hardware and stationery items, but said that those located in market places, malls, COVID-19 hotspots and containment zones, will continue to remain shut till May 3.

Currently, shops dealing in grocery, medicine, dairy etc have been exempted during the lockdown enforced to combat the spread of COVID-19.

"We are seized of the matter. Order (on reopening of shops) will be issued by tomorrow evening," Bihar Disaster Management Department Principal Secretary Pratyaya Amrit told PTI.

In its notification, the Union Home ministry also said shops located in registered markets outside the municipal corporations and municipalities can open after following the drill of social distancing and wearing of masks, but with 50 per cent of strength.

However, single and multi-brands shall continue to remain closed in these areas also.

Following the state's General Administration Departments notification issued on April 17, offices of various departments have started functioning with limited staff strength from April 20.