On Tuesday, In a major decision, the Uttarakhand government decided that the night curfew across state would start from 7pm and continue till 5am. Besides, there will be a weekly lockdown on Sunday in all 13 districts.
The order to this effect issued by the chief secretary said that all shops and shopping malls — barring those selling essential commodities — falling under urban areas of the state will close at 2 pm.
Besides, with a six-day-long lockdown in Delhi and people working in the national capital returning to their villages in Uttarakhand, online registration facility has been made mandatory for returnees as well as tourists and pilgrims coming to the Himalayan state.
They will also be required to bring RT-PCR-negative report not older than 72 hours. For the returnees, the state government has also asked for home quarantine to be observed.
The order has specified that all schools, degree colleges, institutes and coaching centres will remain closed throughout the state till further orders and classes will be conducted through online mode.
It added that public transport vehicles like buses, tempos, auto and rickshaw will operate with 50% seating capacity. Similarly, all cinema halls, restaurants, bars and gyms will also function with 50% capacity and social, religious and political gatherings and weddings will not be permitted in the containment and micro-containment zones.
During the night curfew and weekend lockdown, the government has decided to provide exemption to certain people. The employees working in shifts in industries, passengers coming via flights, buses and trains, people travelling in emergency on national highway or state routes, movement of goods, people at weddings and those involved in these functions would remain exempted from the night curfew and weekend lockdown restrictions.
People above 65 years, pregnant women and children below 10 have been advised to remain indoors and step out only in case of an emergency. People have been directed to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour like wearing masks and maintaining social distance.
Uttarakhand reported an all-time high of 3,012 Covid-positive cases on Tuesday. CM Rawat directed all the 13 district magistrates to strengthen the facilities in the Covid care centres in each district and inform the officer in-charge about any immediate requirement. He also said that both the police and health teams need to remain vigilant at the state borders.
