The lockdown in Tamil Nadu, which began on May 10, has been extended till 6 am on June 21 (Monday). However, the restrictions have been eased in 27 districts, including Chennai, which have relatively lower COVID-19 cases compared to the remaining 11 districts. The new relaxations will come into effect from June 14 (Monday) until June 21. Here is a list of activities that are allowed, prohibited and the protocols that people should adhere to in the coming week.
As a general rule, the public has been advised to walk to the shops near their residence to purchase provisions, fruits and vegetables. People are also advised to avoid using two-wheelers and four-wheelers to go to grocery and provision shops in neighbouring areas. Travel to tourist places, too, has already been prohibited. However, travel to Nilgiris, Kodaikanal, Yercaud, Yelagiri and Kutralam for emergency reasons shall be permitted after obtaining an e-pass from the respective District Collectors.
> Medical shops, indigenous medical shops, veterinary pharmacies and pet feed shops shall be permitted.
> Supply of milk, water and distribution of newspapers shall be permitted.
> Standalone shops selling provision, vegetables, meat and fish can operate from 6 am to 5 pm.
> Shops on platforms selling vegetables, flowers and fruits can function from 6 am to 5 pm.
> Sale of vegetables, fruits, and provisions through mobile vehicles shall continue in all the districts in coordination with respective departments. Home-delivery of provisions shall be permitted on orders made over the phone and online. Sales will be permitted between 7 am and 6 pm.
> Only takeaways will be allowed in hotels, restaurants and bakeries from 6 am to 10 am, 12 noon to 3 pm, and 6 pm to 9 pm. All e-commerce food delivery entities can operate only during this time schedule.
> Other e-commerce services shall be permitted from 8 am and 6 pm
> People can travel to and from the place of residence and airports or railway stations with e-registration details for their travel, travel tickets and ID proof.
> Passengers with e-registration shall be permitted in rental vehicles, taxis and autos. Taxis will be permitted with three passengers (apart from the driver). Auto-rickshaws will be allowed to ply with two passengers.
> Volunteers, caregivers providing food and other services for persons with special needs, with disabilities, senior citizens can travel with e-registration.
> Inter-state and Inter-district travel is permitted for medical emergencies and funeral and last rites with e-registration.
> Intra-district travel is allowed for medical emergencies and funeral and last rites without e-registration.
> In order to monitor the passengers coming by air and train from foreign countries and other states, e-registration (https://eregister.tnega.org) will continue to be in force.
> Adequate number of open spaces for operating the wholesale fish markets will be identified and will be allowed to function.
> Slaughterhouses will be permitted for wholesale only.
> Public Distribution Shops (PDSs) will be allowed to operate.
> Petrol, diesel bunks and LPG supply-related activities will be permitted.
> Wholesale vegetable, fruit and flower markets (Koyambedu in Chennai and wholesale markets in districts) can function. Retail shops in wholesale markets shall not be permitted in Koyambedu and other vegetable/fruit/ flower markets in other districts.
> ATMs and related banking services shall be permitted.
> Services provided by self-employed persons (for example, electrician, IT repairs, plumbers, motor mechanics, and carpenters) can function from 9 am and 5 pm with e-registration. However, respective shops shall not be permitted to function.
> Print and electronic media can function
> Railway, airport, seaport and their associated operations and services will be permitted.
> All activities related to basic essential infrastructure sectors such as power, water supply, sanitation, telecommunication, postal services shall be permitted.
> Government offices dealing with essential services like Secretariat, Health and Family Welfare, Revenue Administration, Police, Home Guard, Fire and Rescue Services, Prisons, District Administration, District Industries Centre, Government Press, Food and Co-operatives, Electricity, Water Supply, Local Bodies, Forest Offices, Treasuries, Social Welfare Department PWD Maintenance Wing, Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution Units, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry etc., and other departments dealing with natural calamities and their associated support services shall function.
> Other government departments can function with 30% staff strength.
> Sub-Registrar Offices shall issue only 50 tokens per day for the registration of deeds.
> Banks and insurance institutions, RBI-regulated financial markets and entities like NPCI, CCIL, payment system operators, clearing houses and standalone primary dealers shall be permitted with one-third of staff.
> SEBI and capital and debt market services as notified by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) can function with 1/3rd staff
> Medical-related services, including blood banks shall be permitted.
> Visa facilitation centres for emergency travel purposes can function with minimum staff, who may be permitted to travel with the ID cards issued by the respective organisations
> Homes for children, persons with disabilities and learning disorders, senior citizens, destitute, women, widows and related transportation to these homes shall be permitted with e-registration.
> Staff working in observation homes, aftercare homes and places of safety for juveniles shall be permitted with an ID card or e-registration.
> Agriculture and related activities, including transportation of agricultural produce, agro-inputs, agriculture Implements and processing of agricultural products shall be permitted. Operation of animal husbandry farms, including poultry farms and hatcheries and livestock farming activities and animal health-related activities shall be permitted.
> Cargo handling, including cold storage and warehousing services at ports, airports, railway stations, container depots and associated services, shall be permitted.
> All goods vehicles and transportation of essential commodities shall be permitted. Movement, loading, unloading of goods, cargo (inter- and intra-state) shall be permitted.
> Continuous Process Industries and Industries manufacturing essential commodities as listed in GO Ms No 348, Revenue and Disaster Management (DM-IV) Department, dated 20.4.2021 are permitted to function adhering to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and other safety measures issued already.
> Matchbox manufacturing industries can operate with a 50% workforce by following the Standard Operating Procedures.
> Hotels, Lodges designated as COVID Care Hospitals, COVID Care Centres and Hotels, Lodges meant for housing health care professionals can function. Workers of such Hotels and Lodges shall be permitted with ID Cards issued by the respective hospital authority which have engaged the hotels and lodges.
> Ongoing in-situ construction works shall be permitted with the workers staying in the construction premises.
> Private security services, facilities management services for maintenance and upkeep of office including housekeeping services in residential e-registration. complexes shall be permitted with e-registration.
> Optical shops selling and servicing spectacles shall be permitted from 9 am and 2 pm
> Sale and repair of cycles and two-wheelers can function from 9 am and 2 pm
> Making and sale of potteries, handicrafts can function from 6 am and 2 pm
> Export units, which have export commitments or export orders and their vendor units providing inputs to such Industries, can function with 25% of workers in Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Karur, Namakkal, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai districts by following the SOPs. In the remaining districts, these export units can function with 50% of workers by following the SOPs.
The following activities will be permitted with restrictions in addition to the activities already permitted. These will, however, not be applicable to 11 districts — Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Karur, Namakkal, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai.
> Government parks and playgrounds maintained by local bodies can be open to the general public for morning walk, but only from 6 am and 9 am
> Beauty parlours and salons can function from 6 am and 5 pm without an air conditioning facility and by permitting only 50% of customers at a time.
> Tea shops can function from 6 am and 5 pm for parcel sales (no plastic container allowed). Drinking tea in and around the shops is not allowed.
> Shops selling sweets and snacks can function for parcel service from 8 am and 2 pm
> Admission related works will be permitted in schools, colleges and universities
> Shops selling educational books for students and stationery items can function from 6 am and 5 pm
> TASMAC shops can function from 10 am and 5 pm. Barricades should be provided and circles should be drawn to strictly enforce physical distancing.
> Shops selling electrical goods, bulbs, cables, switches and wires can function from 6 am and 5 pm.
> Shops selling automobile spare parts can function from 6 am and 5 pm
> Sales and service units of automobile dealers (both four-wheelers and two-wheelers), Including mobile service operations/garage on wheels, can function from 6 am and 5 pm.
> Shops selling or servicing home appliances (mixie, grinder, television, fridge, etc) can function from 9 am and 2 pm
> Shops selling mobile phones and related goods can function from 9 am and 2 pm
> Shops selling construction materials can function from 9 am and 2 pm
> All other industries other than export units can operate with a 33% workforce by following the Standard Operating Procedures.
> Workers/employees of the industries can travel in their two-wheelers to their workplace with e-registration and ID cards issued by the respective industry.
> IT/ITES can operate with 20% staff strength.
> Housing Finance Corporations and Non-Banking Financial Institutions, except micro-finance institutions, can function with 33% staff strength.
> Common Service Centres (e-Sevai) run by TACTV, TNEGA and other agencies shall function by following Standard Operating
> Office of construction sector companies can function with 50% attendance.