Punjab announces Unlock 3 guidelines: What's allowed, what's not

The Punjab Government has issued Unlock 3 guidelines as part of the phased reopening of the lockdown. The new guidelines mandate night curfew from 11 pm to 5 am in the state. Gyms and yoga institutes to open August  5 onward. Earlier on Wednesday, the government issued nationwide Unlock 3 guidelines, opening up more activities outside the containment zones. For the first time since the coronavirus lockdown came into force on March 25, the government allowed the opening of yoga institutes and gymnasiums from August 5 for which separate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be issued by the Health Ministry. 

Punjab Unlock 3: What's allowed

• Yoga Institutes (From August 5)
• Gymnasiums (From August 5)
• Essential activities, including operation of multiple shifts, movement of persons and goods on national highways, unloading of cargo and travel of persons to their destinations after disembarking from buses, trains and aeroplanes will be permitted.
• All kind of examinations, admission/entrance tests conducted by universities, boards, public service commission and other institutions with social distancing in place.

• The number of guests at a marriage function can't be more than 30 while number of people at funerals can’t go beyond 20.

• Places of worship will remain open only between 5 am and 8 pm and the number of persons at any given time shall will not exceed 20 with due distancing. Langar and prasad are allowed and SOPs for religious places shall be followed.

• Restaurants are allowed to open till 10 pm with 50 per cent occupancy or 50 guests, whichever is less.

• Liquor can be served provided the restaurant has a valid permission from the Excise Department.

• Restaurants will be open to persons other than hotel guests but the timings, for both the hotel guests as well as persons from outside, will be till 10 pm.

• Liquor can be served in rooms and restaurants, as permitted under the excise policy of the state.

• Marriages, other social functions and 'open air' parties in banquet halls, marriage palaces, hotels and open venues can be organised. Number of guests, exclusive of the catering staff, will not exceed 30 persons. The size of a banquet hall and venue will at least be 3,000 sq feet to ensure social distancing.

• All shopping malls and shops, including those in main bazars of urban and rural areas, will be allowed to open between 7 am and 8 pm.
  However, restaurants/ hotels situated within shopping malls are to be treated separately and can remain open till 10 pm.

• Barber shops, saloons, beauty parlours and spas will be allowed from 7 am to 8 pm, subject to the compliance of the SOPs to be issued by the state Health Department.

• Shops dealing with essential commodities will be allowed to open till 8 pm on all days.

• Restaurants and liquor vends will continue to remain open till 10 pm on all days.

• On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan which falls on August 2, all shops and malls will remain open from 7 am to 8 pm.

• Sports complexes, stadia and public parks will be allowed to open from 5 am to 8 pm without spectators as per the SOP of the Health Department.

• Industrial units and construction activities are allowed. No separate permission will be required by the industries and other establishments for their operations and all employees will be allowed without any pass requirement during the permitted hours.

• Inter-state and intra-state movement of buses will be allowed without any restriction. There shall be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement of persons and goods and no separate permission or approval or permit will be required for such movement.

Punjab Unlock 3: What's not allowed

• Schools 
• Colleges 
• Coaching Institutions
• Cinema halls
• Swimming pools 
• Entertainment parks
• Theatres
• Bars 
• Auditoriums 
• Assembly halls
• Social, political, sports, entertainment, cultural events and other large congregations

• Spitting at public places is completely prohibited and a punishable offence.

• Consumption of liquor, pan, gutka and tobacco in public places is also prohibited, though there will be no restriction on their sale.

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