BHUBANESWAR: Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation on Tuesday issued fresh guidelines specifying activities to be allowed in the city during lockdown 4.0 that will continue till May 31. As per the new guidelines, all 11 major shopping malls and business establishments, food courts and commercial outlets operating from more than 40,000 square ft area will remain closed.
Cinema halls and multiplexes too will not open. However, stores selling vegetables, groceries and medicines as well as government and private offices functioning from mall premises will be allowed to operate. Domestic and international flights will operate only for medical services and security purposes.
Educational institutions, religious places, hotels, motels, lodge and guest houses, other than those used as quarantine facility or for accommodating Covid workers, will remain closed. Gymnasiums, game parlours, swimming pools, parks, bars and auditoriums will also remain closed. The BMC stated that all other activities not in the prohibitory list will be permitted with riders.
Stadiums and sports complexes will open for players and sportspersons only. Vegetable and grocery markets will function from decentralised places only while use of mask, hand hygiene practices and social distancing is mandatory at shops and workplace. Meanwhile, with liquor shops not finding any mention in the order, BMC officials said no decision on opening of liquor shops in the city has been taken yet. Excise department may take a call in this regard, they said.