Covid-19: Assam tightens lockdown restrictions in urban and semi-urban areas for 15 days

• Follow

Guwahati: The Assam government on Wednesday ordered to shut all offices, religious places, and weekly markets for 15 days in urban and semi-urban areas of the state, besides banning the movement of people from 2 pm to 5 am in the wake of the rising COVID-19 cases.

Revised Guidelines

Issuing a new set of guidelines for the urban and semi-urban places in the periphery of 5 km of municipal areas, Chief Secretary Jishnu Barua said all standalone shops and commercial establishments shall shut down at 1 pm on all days.

“A complete lockdown is an option, but we are going gradually in a phased manner. We hope these measures will work in the next two-three days,” he said at a press conference here.

The new restrictions will come into effect from 13 May.

As per the restrictions notified by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), weekly haats, bazaars, educational institutions, and all government and private offices have been ordered to shut for the next 15 days.

The restrictions will not be applicable for organizations rendering essential and emergency services, law enforcement services, and election works.

“All religious places shall remain closed for 15 days. Funeral/last rites-related gatherings shall not be allowed to have more than 10 persons,” the order said.

Likewise, weddings and religious functions will be only private affairs and be allowed with the presence of a maximum of 10 persons and no reception parties will be allowed post or pre-wedding.

All public transport will be allowed with 30 % of seating capacity, while auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws, taxis shall operate with one driver and two passengers only.

“Pillion riding will be totally prohibited in two-wheelers except with women and children.

“All vehicles other than government vehicles will be allowed to ply in accordance with an odd-even formula to be decided by the jurisdictional district disaster management authority between 5 am to 2 pm,” the order stated.

For the rest of the state, all restrictions announced earlier such as night curfew from 6 pm to 5 am with a total ban on movement of persons at public places on all days will continue, except for those engaged in essential and emergency services.