Shopping Malls, Hotels to open in Telangana from June 8

Religious places of worship, hotels restaurants, and shopping malls other than cinema halls will be opened outside containment zones across Telangana from June 8.

The Government of Telangana on Thursday issued orders with regard to phased reopening of prohibited activities in areas outside containment zones following the Ministry of Home Affairs orders extending the lockdown till June 30. There will be restriction on movement of persons between 9 PM to 5 AM except for emergencies, no shops, except hospitals and pharmacies, will remain open after 8.30 PM.

The activities remain prohibited throughout the State include, schools, colleges, educational, training, and coaching institutions and Metro rail service. Cinema halls, gyms, swimming pools, entertainment parks, sports complexes, theatres , bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places, and all larger congregations such as social political and religious gatherings.

However in areas outside containment zones all other activities permitted prior to introduction of lockdown, will be allowed.

There will be no intra and inter-State restriction of movement of persons and goods. Wearing of masks is compulsory in public places. Maintenance of social distancing and sanitizing will continue. Large public gatherings will remain prohibited. Funeral related gatherings will be limited to 20 persons and persons above age 65 and children below 10 years shall



remain at home.

In Containment zones strict lockdown will be in force till June 30. Only essential activities shall be permitted. There will be strict permitted control to ensure that there is no movement of people in or out of these zones except for medical emergencies.

Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry released the standard operating procedure for restaurants and hotels which included measures such as allowing only asymptomatic staff and guests inside the premises and proper crowd management. 

In SOPs released for restaurants, the Ministry has curtailed the seating capacity to 50 per cent. Disposable menus are advised to be used. Instead of cloth napkins, use of disposable paper napkins should be encouraged. Restaurants have been asked to encourage takeaways instead of dine-in.

At religious places of worship, “No physical offerings like prasad/distribution or sprinkling of holy water, etc should be allowed inside the religious place,” the Ministry said, underlining that community kitchens, langars, ‘Ann-Daan’ etc at religious places should follow physical distancing norms while preparing and distributing food. They should allow only asymptomatic persons in the premises and allowing those using face cover or masks. Common prayer mats should be avoided and devotees should bring their own mat or piece of cloth which they may take back with them.