States impose night curfew amid Covid resurgence; here are the timings and exemptions

New Delhi: States across India have stepped up Covid-19 containment measures including night curfew amid the surge in new cases of the coronavirus.

In Delhi and Maharashtra, the cases of the infection have been increasing rapidly over the last few days and the positivity rate has gone up as well besides a concomitant increase in cases of the new Omicron variant of the virus.

Here's a list of states which have imposed a night curfew to curb the spread and the exemptions respectively.

YELLOW ALERT IN DELHI

A yellow alert has been sounded in Delhi and some restrictions imposed under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in view of rising number of Covid cases in the city. The yellow alert entails restrictions like night curfew, closure of schools and colleges, opening of non essential shops based on an odd even basis, halved seating capacity in Metro trains and buses among others.

The night curfew has already been imposed from December 27.

Time: The restrictions will be in place from 11 pm to 5 am in the night curfew that kicks in on Monday due to rising COVID-19 cases in Delhi.

Exemptions:

• Patients and pregnant women, people out to buy essential items, and those travelling to or from railway stations, bus stops and airports will be exempted from the curfew.

• Those exempted from the curfew also include government officials involved in emergency services, judges and judicial officers, medical personnel, and media persons.

• People going for COVID-19 vaccination will be exempted on production of a valid identity card and a proof of appointment.

• Students and candidates appearing in recruitment examinations will be allowed too on production of valid identity and admit cards.

• People who come under the exempted categories will be required to produce a valid identity card if found outside during the night curfew hours.

• Those going to or returning from railway stations, bus stops and airports will be exempted on production of valid tickets.

• Private medical personnel, officials related to functioning of offices of diplomats as well as those holding constitutional posts, government officer will also be exempted.

• People running shops dealing in food, groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk, meat and fish, animal fodder, pharmaceuticals and medicines, ophthalmologists, telecom and internet cable services, petrol pumps, LPG, CNG, petroleum and gas retail and storage outlets, power generation, transmission and distribution, manufacturing units of essential commodities, aviation and related services will also be exempted

• Only exempted-category people will be allowed in Metro trains and public transport buses during the night curfew hours

• There will be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement for the exempted categories, and transportation of essential and non-essential goods during the night curfew, and no separate permission or e-pass will be required for such movements.

NIGHT CURFEW IN KERALA

The Kerala government has imposed a night curfew in the state till January 2 to contain the spread of the Omicron variant.

Time: Strict restrictions will be in place from 10 pm to 5 am on those days. The major aim of the restrictions is to limit crowding in connection with the New Year celebrations.

New Year's celebrations will not be allowed after 10 PM on December 31 and the seating capacity in bars, clubs, hotels, restaurants and eateries will remain at 50 per cent.

NEW YEAR PARTIES BANNED IN KARNATAKA
Time: Night curfew for 10 days from December 28 between 10 PM and 5 AM.

New Year parties banned: The government banned all New Year parties and gatherings in public places; while places like eateries, hotels, pubs, clubs and restaurants have been asked to operate with 50 per cent of their seating capacity from December 30 to January 2.

Exemption: The order further states that during night curfew, the movement of individuals shall remain strictly prohibited, except for essential activities, patients and their attendants, industries and companies requiring night operations, vehicles carrying goods, bus, trains, metro, air travel, home delivery and e-commerce operations, among others.

Employees of companies working during night shifts can move around with a valid ID card.

Upper limit for functions: all gatherings, meetings and conferences, including marriages, from December 28 should strictly limit the number of participants to 300 people. It mandates that organizers strictly enforce COVID appropriate behavior.

MAHARASHTRA
Time: The Maharashtra government has prohibited gathering of more than five persons in public places between 9 pm to 6 am.

Guidelines:

•Further, more than 100 people can not attend weddings in closed places, while in open spaces the number will not be more than 250 or 25 percent of the total capacity, whichever is less.

This restriction will also apply to social, political or religious functions.

•At functions other than social, political or religious ones, the number of attendees in closed spaces should not exceed 50 per cent of the total capacity where seats are fixed and immovable.

•The number of attendees shall not exceed 25 per cent of the capacity where seats are not fixed.

•At sports event, number of people can not exceed 25 per cent of the venue's capacity.

•Restaurants, gymnasiums, cinema halls, spas will continue to operate with 50 percent capacity.

NO CURFEW ON DEC 31 IN ASSAM

Time: The Assam government on Saturday issued new COVID-19 directives for New Year celebration, lifting night curfew on December 31.

As per the new SOP, night curfew will be in force from 11.30 pm to 6 am. However, it will not be applicable on the night of December 31.

Guidelines:

•All work places, business and commercial establishments will remain open till 10.30 pm.

•For meetings or gatherings in open spaces, the district disaster management authority will specify the number depending on the COVID situation in that district, while in closed spaces, gathering up to 50 per cent of seating capacity would be allowed.

•Iconic religious places can allow 60 fully vaccinated people per hour, with the number of devotees or visitors restricted to 40 per hour for other religious places.

•Cinema halls will continue to operate with 50 per cent seating capacity.

GUJARAT: NIGHT CURFEW TIME EXTENDED BY 2 HOURS

The Gujarat government on Friday extended the duration of night curfew in eight cities by two hours.

Time: The curfew would be in force from 11 pm to 5 am instead of 1 am to 5 am, said a notification issued by the state home department. The new time will be implemented from December 25 in the cities of Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar and Gandhinagar, it said.

Guidelines:

•Commercial activities in shops, restaurants, shopping complexes, marketing yards, marts, hair cutting saloons, beauty parlours among others in these eight cities are allowed to remain open till 11 pm.

•Other restrictions imposed in view of the pandemic will remain in force as per the order dated November 30, 2021.

UTTAR PRADESH

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday issued orders to initiate strict measures, including a statewide night curfew from December 25.

Time: The coronavirus night curfew will be applicable from 11 pm to 5 am

Other guidelines:

Chairing a high-level meeting, the chief minister also instructed officials to cap the number of people attending events like marriages to 200.

MADHYA PRADESH

The Madhya Pradesh government has imposed a night curfew in the state from 11 pm to 5 am as a precautionary measure and advised people to strictly follow COVID-19 protocols.

HARYANA

Time: The night curfew was imposed from 11 pm to 5 am from Saturday.

Other guidelines

•The government also restricted the maximum number of people at indoor and outdoor events to 200 and 300 people, respectively.

•The restrictions will come into force from Saturday and remain in place till January 5.

•Eligible people who are not fully vaccinated will not be permitted inside crowded places like malls, cinema halls, restaurants and grain markets from January 1.

(With PTI inputs.)