Coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown 3.0 with some relaxations begins on May 4

The nationwide lockdown 3.0 to curb the spread of coronavirus COVID-19 in the country kicks in on Monday (May 4), giving an opporutnity to several states to relax lockdown rules areas that are in green zone and orange zone. The movement of people and opening of businesses in containment zones will continue to remain restricted. 

On Sunday, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said the national capital is ready to "reopen" and people "have to be ready to live with coronavirus". In some states, liquor sales by standalone shops will be allowed but liquor shops will not open up in market areas. 

In green zones or areas with no coronavirus cases, you can drive in a car with two passengers or ride a two-wheeler without pillion from 7 am to 7 pm. As per the Ministry of Home Affairs' guidelines only emergency and essential services will be allowed to move beyond these hours.

In Delhi, stationery shops, standalone and neighbourhood shops and residential lane shops for both essential and non-essential services will be allowed to function. The governmentr has also decided to allow technicians, plumbers, electricians and household to resume their work.

Maharashtra government has also allowed some economic activities in all the coronavirus zones except containment areas. As per the state government, standalone liquor shops, cabs with maximum two passengers and e-commerce deliveries only for essential items will be permitted in the state.

In Uttar Pradesh, the government in its revised guidelines said liquor sales are allowed, industries can open but must have one-hour gap between shifts, and buses and cabs can run with 50 per cent occupancy in green zones.

The Odisha government said 100 per cent coverage of the coronavirus tracker app Aarogya Setu must be ensured by local authorities in all containment zones. The state also said that anyone caught violating quarantine guidelines could get arrested.

Kerala government has said that offices can function with 50 per cent attendance of Group A and B employees, and 33 per cent attendance in Group C and D category staff. In green zones, shops will be allowed to remain open between 7 am and 7.30 pm for six days of the week, except Sunday.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday appealed to the the people to observe the extended two-week lockdown "in letter and spirit". "We are on the path of success and we will win this war against COVID-19," he said.

What's open in red zone in lockdown 3.0:

-All industrial and construction activities in rural areas, including MNREGA works, food-processing units and brick-kilns are permitted; besides, in rural areas, without distinction to the nature of goods, all shops, except in shopping malls are permitted.

-All agriculture activities, e.g., sowing, harvesting, procurement and marketing operations in the agricultural supply chain.

-Animal husbandry activities are fully permitted, including inland and marine fisheries.
-All health services (including AYUSH) are to remain functional
- Banks, non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), insurance and capital market activities, and credit co-operative societies to remian functional.
- Operation of homes for children, senior citizens, destitutes, women and widows etc.; and operation of Anganwadis 
- Public utilities, e.g., utilities in power, water, sanitation, waste management, telecommunications and internet will remain open, and courier and postal services will be allowed to operate.
- Print and electronic media, IT and IT enabled services, data and call centres, cold storage and warehousing services, private security and facility management services, and services provided by self-employed persons, except for barbers etc.
- Manufacturing units of essential goods, including drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, their raw material and intermediates; production units, which require continuous process, and their supply chain; Jute industry with staggered shifts and social distancing; and manufacturing of IT hardware and manufacturing units of packaging material will continue to be permitted.