Assam allows inter-district travel on 2 days of week; night curfew, weekend shutdown to continue

The Assam government has issued a new set of guidelines, allowing inter-district movement on two days of the week, and hundred per cent office attendance from Monday to Friday.

Night curfew from 6 pm to 6 am on all days and total lockdown on weekends, however, will continue to remain in force for now, an order issued on Sunday by Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna said.

Inter-district movement of people is allowed on Monday and Tuesday and no separate permission or approval will be required for travel within the state on these two days, the order, which will come into force on Sunday, 7 pm and continue till August 14, said.

All central and state government offices, including banks, insurance companies and Non Banking Financial Companies, shall be allowed to operate with hundred per cent attendance, and point-to-point bus service will be available for the employees.

Pregnant women have been told not to attend office.

As part of the new guidelines, shopping malls, gymnasiums have been granted permission to operate between Monday and Friday, subject to certain conditions.

Restaurants and other hospitality services will also get to run their businesses on these five days, with strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols.

Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places will continue to remain shut.

Social, political, entertainment, academic and religious functions, sporting events, and other congregations have also been barred.

People above the age of 65 years and children below ten years are advised to stay indoors, except for unavoidable medical reasons, the order by chief secretary said.

Non-contact sports in open space shall be allowed, provided social distancing norms are not violated, it stated.

Wearing of mask is compulsory in public places, in workplaces and during movement in vehicles, and any violation will attract a fine of Rs 1000 for the first offence, it said.

Assam has reported 41,726 COVID-19 cases so far, of which 31,442 have recovered and 101 have died. Three persons have migrated out of the state.