MUMBAI, 30 SEPTEMBER, 2020 (GPN): Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led state government in Maharashtra on September 30 announced the Unlock 5.0 guidelines as part of ‘Mission Begin Again’.

Aiming to ease the flow of activities, the state government allowed hotels, food courts, restaurants and bars to operate from October 5 onwards, but only with 50 percent of their capacities.

However, the state government continued to impose restrictions on the operations of Metro trains and international flights, except for Vande Bharat. Apart from this, all educational institutes have been kept closed till October 31, 2020.

1) Free movement of oxygen-carrying vehicles within and out of the state without any restrictions of timings

2) Hotels/food courts/restaurants/bars will be allowed to operate from October 5 with a maximum of 50 percent capacity.

3) Dabbawallas can travel in local trains after procuring QR codes from the Mumbai Police Commissioner’s Office.

4) All industrial and manufacturing units producing non- essential items to operate.

5)  Local train services to resume in Pune.

Apart from these, all the activities already permitted according to earlier orders will continue.

What will continue to be banned under unlock 5.0:

1) Metro rail and international flights, except for Vande Bharat.

2) All educational institutes will be kept closed until October 31, 2020. They include schools, colleges, educational institutes and coaching centres.

3) All large congregations including social, political, sports,  entertainment, academic, cultural and religious functions.

4) All cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, gyms, and auditoriums.

5) Religious places for devotees.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Maharashtra has 2,60,789 active COVID-19 patients, while 10,69,159 have recovered. Meanwhile, 36,181 died in the state due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued new guidelines today, for opening up of more activities in areas outside the Containment Zones. In these guidelines, which will come into effect from October 1, 2020, the process of re-opening of activities has been extended further.The new guidelines, issued today, are based on feedback received from States and UTs, and extensive consultations held with related Central Ministries and Departments.

Salient features of the new guidelines

Activities permitted from 15^th October 2020, in areas outside the Containment Zones

• Cinemas/ theatres/ multiplexes will be permitted to open with upto 50% of their seating capacity, for which, SOP will be issued by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
• Business to Business (B2B) Exhibitions will be permitted to open, for which, SOP will be issued by the Department of Commerce.
• Swimming pools being used for training of sportspersons will be permitted to open, for which the standard operating procedure (SOP) will be issued by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MoYA&S).
• Entertainment parks and similar places will be permitted to open, for which the SOP will be issued by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW).

Opening of Schools, colleges, education institutions and coaching institutions

• For re-opening of schools and coaching institutions, State/ UT Governments have been given the flexibility to take a decision after 15^th October 2020, in a graded manner.  The decision shall be taken in consultation with the respective school/ institution management, based on their assessment of the situation, and subject to the following conditions:

• Online/ distance learning shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and shall be encouraged.
• Where schools are conducting online classes, and some students prefer to attend online classes rather than physically attend school, they may be permitted to do so.
• Students may attend schools/ institutions only with the written consent of parents.
• Attendance must not be enforced, and must depend entirely on parental consent.
• States /UTs will prepare their own SOP regarding health and safety precautions for reopening of schools/ institutions based on the SOP to be issued by Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, Government of India, keeping local requirements in view.
• Schools, which are allowed to open, will have to mandatorily follow the SOP to be issued by Education Departments of States/ UTs.
• Department of Higher Education (DHE), Ministry of Education may take a decision on the timing of the opening of Colleges/ Higher Education Institutions, in consultation with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), based on the assessment of the situation. Online/ distance learning shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and shall be encouraged.
• However, Higher Education Institutions only for research scholars (Ph.D) and post-graduate students in science and technology stream requiring laboratory/ experimental works will be permitted to openfrom 15^th October, 2020, as under:
  1. For Centrally Funded Higher Education Institutions, the Head of Institution will satisfy herself/ himself that there is a genuine requirement of research scholars (Ph.D) and post-graduate students in science and technology stream for laboratory/experimental works.
  2. For all other Higher Education Institutions e.g. State Universities, Private Universities etc., they may open only for research scholars (Ph.D) and postgraduate students in science and technology stream requiring laboratory/experimental works as per decision to be taken by the respective State/UT Governments. ENDS