Chandigarh admin allows opening of shops till 6 pm, restaurants, bars with 50 pc capacity

As COVID-19 cases show a declining trend in the Union Territory, the Chandigarh administration on Tuesday eased restrictions, allowing all shops to remain open till 6 pm and reducing the night curfew timing.The administration also allowed all restaurants, bars, gyms, clubs and spas to open with 50 per cent capacity.However, the cinema halls and theatres will continue to remain closed.The city is witnessing a consistent drop in daily number of infections.

As COVID-19 cases show a declining trend in the Union Territory, the Chandigarh administration on Tuesday eased restrictions, allowing all shops to remain open till 6 pm and reducing the night curfew timing.

The administration also allowed all restaurants, bars, gyms, clubs and spas to open with 50 per cent capacity.

However, the cinema halls and theatres will continue to remain closed.

The city is witnessing a consistent drop in daily number of infections. On Monday, Chandigarh had registered 48 new cases, taking the infection tally to 60,707.

In a Covid review meeting here, the administration decided that all shops would remain open from 10 am till 6 pm. Earlier, the shops were allowed to remain open from 9 am till 4 pm.

''The shop owners will ensure that Covid protocol is duly followed. All persons must wear masks and shopping areas must be regularly sanitised. Shopkeepers can be penalised for any violation of Covid protocol," said an official statement.

The night curfew in the city will now be from 10 pm till 5 am. Earlier, the night curfew was in place from 6 pm till 5 am on weekdays.

There will be a total weekend closure on Sunday and only the essential shops will be allowed to open. The movement of vehicles will also be restricted, the statement said.

''All restaurants/bars can remain open with 50 per cent capacity from 10 am to 9 pm," it said.

Shopping malls can remain open from 10 am to 6 pm. However, the eating outlets inside the malls can remain open till 8 pm.

Malls must ensure that there is no crowding within the shops or in the open areas.

Necessary screening of visitors to check temperature, etc. and to properly sanitise them should be arranged at the entrance of the malls, the statement said.

''Gyms, wellness centres, clubs and spas will be allowed to open with 50 per cent capacity. The owners must ensure that the members using the facility are vaccinated. Strict covid protocol must be followed,'' it said, adding that museums and libraries will be allowed to open.

Gathering for weddings, cremation or any other gathering will be restricted to a maximum of 30 people.

Sukhna Lake will remain open for visitors from 5 am to 8 pm. However, no boating will be allowed.

The police will ensure that the visitors at lake follow the covid protocol strictly, failing which challans will be issued. Sukhna Lake, however, will remain closed on Sunday, the statement said.

During the meeting, Administrator V P Singh Badnore directed all the heads of medical institutions to ensure that all health staff and frontline workers are duly vaccinated.

He also directed that exclusive beds should be kept in reserve for children, in case of any eventuality of third wave.

It was decided to get the hospital in Sector 45, ESI Hospital, beds in sector 16 hospital, PGIMER and temporary army hospital in Panjab University in readiness for such paediatric covid patients.

The administrator directed that a sero survey should be conducted in the entire city.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)