Govt may permit operations of metro, single screen movie halls in Unlock 4

To increase economic activities and employment opportunities, the Government of India is considering to give a breather to various sectors in Unlock 4.

According to the sources, the government may give some more relaxations but its implementation in the respective states or Union Territories (UT) will be done on the basis of assessment conducted by state governments.

So far, the government has received various suggestions for allowing local rail/metro, allowing single theatre cinema halls, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places. But, the final decision of allowing these activities is yet to be taken.

The government is considering opening local rail transportation from the first week of September. Also, single-screen cinema halls are likely to be allowed with strict social distancing norms. Similarly, the government is also considering giving relaxations to auditoriums, halls but they will have to adopt social distancing norms like thermal screening and temperature check with less number of gatherings than halls' capacity.

"The process of phased re-opening of activities will be extended further and new guidelines, will be based on feedback received from states and UTs and extensive consultations with related Central Ministries and Departments," a senior government official said.

"So far, the Government of India, the Home Ministry's SOP (standard operating procedure), has a fixed number of 50 people. We have written a letter to the Home Minister to ask for permission for banquet halls to open with 50 per cent of their capacity. The hotel owners also want to move forward with this situation towards their revival. I think the government is taking decisions very quickly, this industry also believes. I think this decision will also be taken soon," Tourism minister Prahlad Patel told ANI in an interview.

According to the sources, nothing has been finalised yet and it is expected to get finalised soon as a meeting regarding the same is pending.

The government is not keen to open schools and colleges.

It is expected that there would be hardly any change in international air travel norms as air travel of passengers has been permitted in a limited manner under the Vande Bharat Mission.

The government is also unlikely to open entertainment parks and multi-screen movie halls.