Salons, Parlours & Barbershops still not allowed; 'they're services not shops': MHA

Issuing clarification over the opening of hair salons and barber shops, Joint Secretary (Home Affairs) Punya Salila Srivastava has said that the MHA order is applicable to shops that deal in the sale of items. She has said that there is no order to open barbershops & hair salons. Additionally, there is no order to open liquor shops, she said. 

As confusion and speculation began after the MHA order, the ministry issued a clarification that all shops in rural areas except shopping malls will be opened. In its clarification, it also said that markets and market complexes, shopping malls in urban areas are not allowed to open. It added that e-commerce companies are only allowed for essential goods and the sale of liquor is prohibited. 

READ | Modi govt announces reopening of shops, non-essential services; here's what's allowed

As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India has so far reported 23,452 cases of COVID, while 4,814 people have recovered or migrated, 723 deaths have been reported.

READ | Coronavirus Live Updates 

The Modi government on Friday night allowed all shops under the Shops and Establishment Act to reopen from April 25 amid the Coronavirus pandemic. This included shops in residential complexes and market complexes. However, the order stated that the shops will function at 50 percent strength and precautions against COVID-19 — wearing masks and social distancing — is mandatory.  The Home Ministry order stated that the relaxation is not applicable in hotspots and containment zones. It has also prohibited the reopening of shops in multi-brand and single-brand malls. It is an amendment to Centre's April 15 order issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement about extension of lockdown. 

READ | Centre adds clarification: All rural shops except malls allowed; E-commerce still limited