Karnataka eases more COVID curbs – Shops, restaurants can open till 5 pm, metro allowed with 50% capacity

KEY STORY

•  Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Saturday announced additional relaxations in COVID-19 restrictions in the state from June 21, allowing shops and restaurants to open for more hours.

• Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister said that relaxations will be allowed in 16 of the 31 districts in view of the positivity rate falling below five per cent and a decline in others.

• The 16 districts with less than five per cent positivity rate are Uttara Kannada, Belagavi, Mandya, Koppal, Chikkballapur, Tumkur, Kolar, Bengaluru Urban, Gadag, Raichur, Bagalkote, Kalburgi, Haveri, Ramanagara, Yadgir and Bidar.

• “For the past one week, the COVID-19 positivity rate is less than five per cent in 16 districts, between five per cent and 10 per cent in 13 districts and above 10 per cent in Mysuru district. We have taken certain decisions on easing restrictions, based on the advice of the Technical Advisory Committee on COVID-19 and after discussions with my cabinet colleagues,” Yediyurappa told reporters.

• The restrictions as imposed on June 11 will remain in force in 13 districts with positivity rate between five per cent to 10 per cent. These are Hassan, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga, Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagaluru, Bengaluru Rural, Davangere, Kodagu, Dharwad, Ballari, Chitradurga and Vijayapura.

• The strict restrictions in Mysuru will continue, the Chief Minister added.

  What’s allowed, what’s not in 16 districts

  • All shops without any distinction between essential and nonessential goods/services will be allowed to function outside containment zones from 6 am to 5 pm.

  • Hotels, clubs and restaurants without air conditioners will be allowed to operate with 50 per cent occupancy.

  • Lodges, resorts and gymnasiums without ACs have also been permitted run their business with 50 per cent occupancy.

  • Outdoor shooting, bus and metro rail services with 50 per cent occupancy and outdoor sports without spectators will be allowed.

  • Air-conditioned shops, shopping complexes or malls will not be permitted to operate.

  • Government and private offices will be allowed to operate with 50 per cent workforce.

  • Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited said it would operate trains from 7 am to 11 am and 3 pm to 6 pm at an interval of every five minutes. “Namma metro services to resume from June 21 on weekdays from Monday to Friday. Metro train services will not be available on Saturday and Sunday due to weekend curfew,” Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited said.All production units, industrial establishments and industries are permitted to

  • function with 50 per cent staff, strictly adhering to COVID appropriate behaviour. However, establishments engaged in garment manufacturing are permitted to function with 30 per cent staff strength.

  • Home delivery of all items shall be encouraged 24×7 to minimise movement of individuals outside their homes. Operations shall be subject to adhering to National Directives for COVID 19 management.

  • Parks will remain open from 5 am to 10 am

  • Taxis and auto-rickshaws will ply with a maximum of two passengers.

  • During night curfew buses, trains and air travel would be permitted.

  • State-wide night curfew from 7 pm to 5 am every day would continue and weekend curfew from 7 pm on Friday to 5 pm on Monday will remain in effect till July 5.