UP announces new guidelines for ‘Unlock 1’, divides rural and urban containment zones

Following the extension of lockdown in containment zones on pan-India bases by the Centre, the country’s most populous state - Uttar Pradesh too has extended its lockdown till June 30, following the Centre's 'Unlock 1' phases. The state government has issued a directive ordering re-opening of the areas outside containment zones in the same three-phase system as per MHA.

Additionally, the Uttar Pradesh government has bifurcated containment zones into two-types - rural and urban and released additional guidelines for them. The state government has also released detailed guidelines for inter/intra-state goods and people travel. The state government has also allowed reopening of shops, offices, religious places etc. Apart from the below-mentioned guidelines, the MHA's guidelines too are mandated in the state.

Containment zone guidelines:

'Urban' containment zone

• A single case in any urban area will require a 250 metre radius containment zone, while multiple cases will require 500-meter wide containment zone.
  
• A single case in any one floor of society will require the building to be sealed, while multiple cases on different floors mandates the society to be sealed.
  
• If any COVID-19 case develops in a working space, the office will be shut for 24 hours for complete sanitisation after which it will be allowed to reopen.
  
• In an office, if multiple cases are found on a floor, the floor will be sealed, while multiple cases on multiple floors mandates the tower to be sealed.

'Rural' containment zones

• As per the village's population, a cluster will be formed if more than a single case is reported and nearby villages will be named as clusters

Extended lockdown guidelines:

• Containment zone guidelines will be applicable to Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad and districts in Delhi-NCR.
  
• All government offices will operate with 100% workforce. Staggered timings will be followed- 9 am to 5 pm, 10 am to 6 pm and 11 am to 7 pm.
  
• All economic activities allowed outside containment zones, but thermal screening, sanitisation, facemasks usage is mandated.
  
• State buses will be allowed to operate on the condition that only passengers according to the seating capacity of the buses travel, passengers cannot travel while standing on the bus. City buses must follow the same guidelines. All passengers encouraged to use Aarogya Setu or Aayush-kavach COVID app.

• Salons and beauty parlours are allowed to remain open with conditions of social distancing and other precautionary measures. Staff working at salons/beauty parlours should wear face shields and gloves while working
  
• All shops across UP allowed reopening. Face-masks, gloves, and sanitisers to be used by shopkeepers. Shopowners advised to not sell goods to customers not wearing masks. Shops can function from 9 AM to 9 PM.
  
• Supermarkets allowed to open with social distancing guidelines.
  
• Vegetable mandis allowed to reopen from 6 AM to 9 PM and people will be allowed to buy fruits and vegtables from 8 AM to 8 PM. No weekly mandis in urban areas, while weekly mandis allowed in rural areas with social distancing.
  
• Sweet shops allowed to reopen with only take away, wearing face masks, hand sanitisers, and gloves.
  
• Marriage halls allowed to reopened with 30 people only and no celebratory gun-firing allowed.
  
• Street vendors allowed to reopen adhering to social distancing, face masks, gloves, and hand sanitisers.
  
• Emergency operations allowed in nursing homes and private hospitals. All precautions to be taken.
  
• Tractors allowed to be used in rural containment zones for farming activities

• Taxi cabs, autorickshaws allowed to function as per seating capacity only with hand sanitiser available to passengers. Two-wheelers allowed to function as per seat capacity. All passengers must wear masks.
  
• Parks allowed to reopen following social distancing guidelines - morning 5: 00 AM to 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Sport grounds and stadiums allowed to reopen for training activities without audience.
  

Centre's guidelines mandated in UP

• Phase 1 : From June 8 , religious places, hotels, restaurants, shopping malls will be allowed to reopen but will have to adhere to SOPs which will be issued by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW)
  
• Phase 2 : Schools, colleges and other educational institutions will be opened in consultation with respective states and Union Territories from July 2020. An SOP will be issued for the same by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW)
  
• Phase 3 : After further assessment of the prevalent COVID-19 conditions, resuming of international air travel, metros, cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, social/political/sports/religious/cultural functions will be decided.