In Mumbai unlock rules, shops and restaurants open till 10 pm, theatres shut: What's allowed, what's not

Mumbai has been seeing gradual lifting of restrictions imposed following a deadly second wave of coronavirus, as vaccination coverage expands and as the number of hospitalisations and deaths stabilised.As per an announcement made Monday and subsequent orders by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, shops can open till 10 pm on all days, while restaurants will be allowed to remain open till 10 pm at 50 percent seating capacity in the financial capital.The city's lifeline Mumbai suburban train network will also open up for fully vaccinated individuals from 15 August.So, here's a list of what's allowed and what's not at a glance.What's allowed:

• All essential and non-essential standalone shops will remain open on all days till 10 pm. Standalone shops selling essential supplies and/or medicines can stay open 24x7
• Local trains to open up for fully vaccinated individuals from 15 August.
• All restaurants will remain open with 50 percent seating capacity till 10 pm subject to adherence to all COVID-19 protocols. Parcel and takeaway to be allowed as is allowed currently.
• Malls are now open to fully vaccinated people till 10 pm
• All public gardens and playgrounds can be kept open for the purpose of exercise, walking, jogging and cycling between 5 am and 9 am
• All private offices can be operational with full capacity till 4 pm. The offices that can function through working from home should continue to do so.
• All agricultural activity, civil works, industrial activity, transport of goods can remain functional at full capacity.
• Gymnasiums, yoga centers, hair cutting salons, beauty parlours, spas can remain open without the use of air-conditioners and with 50 percent capacity till 10 pm on all days.
• All indoor and outdoor games parlours and sports clubs can operate on all seven days as per regular timings. However, contact sports and swimming etc remained banned completely.

What's not allowed:

• All cinema theatres, drama theatres and multiplexes (independent and inside malls) to remain closed till further orders.
• All malls and large shopping complexes are out of bounds for unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people.
• All places of worship in the state remain closed till further orders.
• In order to avoid crowding, restrictions imposed on birthday celebrations, political, Social and Cultural events, elections, election campaigning, rallies, protest marches remain.

The order also mentioned that e-commerce will continue to function, while public transport will run with 100 percent sitting capacity. However, no one will be allowed to commute while standing in any public transportNo decision on schools, collegesA day after issuing detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs) for reopening schools from 17 August, the Maharashtra government today indicated it is rethinking the decision. This is said to be a result of opposition from the state COVID-19 task force.Dr Shashank Joshi, a member of the task force, had said that there was evidence that schools and religious places were becoming 'super spreaders' of the viral infection.State minister Nawab Malik told News18 that a final decision will be taken after the meeting of the chief minister with the members of the task force meeting. "There definitely is concern about reports from Punjab that children were infected by COVID-119. We will take a decision soon," Malik said.State education minister Varsha Gaikwad had on Wednesday announced detailed SOPs to open up schools from Tuesday (17 April)As per the order:

• Physical classes for classes 5 to 7 will be allowed in rural areas from 17 August.
• Physical classes for classes 8 to 12 are already being held in most rural areas.
• Physical classes for classes 8 to 12 can resume in urban areas.
• The final decision on whether to permit physical classes will be taken by a committee headed by the respective municipal commissioner in urban areas and district collector in rural areas. Other members of the committee will be the ward officer, medical officer and education officer.
• The area where schools are to be reopened should have a very low COVID-19 prevalence for the last month.
• The district collector should arrange for vaccination of teachers and other school staff against COVID-19 .
• Parents should be barred from entering the school premises to avoid crowding.
• The number of students in a classroom can be around 15-20, seated six feet apart.
• Schools to work in shifts or on alternate days.
• Priority should be given to the teaching of core subjects.
• If a student tests positive for the infection, the school should be closed and sanitised.
• School hours are to be limited to three to four hours per day.

All COVID-19 protocols including masks, social distancing must be scrupulously followed across the state by all the citizens. Failure in stringent adherence to the same will result in action on the defaulters under relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Epidemic Act and Section 1860 of the Indian Penal Code.With inputs from PTI