MHA allows opening of shops during COVID-19 lockdown: Here's what will open and what will remain shut

NEW DELHI: After a late-night order on reopening of shops amid the coronavirus lockdown, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday issued a clarification saying that only standalone shops are allowed to open as per the directive and that the order does not apply to COVID-19 containment zones or liquor stores.

"In urban areas, all standalone/neighbourhood shops & shops in residential complexes are allowed to open. Shops in markets/market complexes & shopping malls are not allowed to open," the ministry clarified.

The ministry also clarified that sales by e-commerce companies will continue to be restricted to essential goods only. "Sale by E-commerce companies will continue to be permitted for essential goods only," the ministry said.

It also cleared that liquor stores will be shut as the relaxations do not apply to them. "Sale of liquor & other items continues to be prohibited as specified in the National Directives for COVID19 management," it added.

The government in the late-night order issued on Friday had allowed the opening of shops as part of the easing down of lockdown restrictions announced on April 15 with neighbourhood shops and others being allowed within the city and all shops except those in malls allowed outside the municipal limits with 50 per cent strength of workers.

No shops have been allowed to open in multi-brand or single brand malls, it had said. Shops were allowed outside the city limits except those in malls with 50 per cent workforce while wearing of masks has been made compulsory.

Here’s what will open from today:

-All shops registered under the Shops and Establishment Act of the respective state and Union territory, including those in residential complexes and market complexes, outside the municipal corporations and municipalities, have been exempted from lockdown restrictions

-Only standalone shops and residential shops in cities

-All shops in residential areas and neighbourhood markets will open

-All registered shops and markets in rural and semi-rural areas

-Salons and barbershops can reopen but not if they are inside a market complex

 -Standalone tailor shops in residential complexes 

-Shops in registered markets outside municipal corporations and municipalities can open only with 50% staff, who will have to wear masks and follow social distancing norms

-Non-essential goods and services will be allowed to operate in urban areas only if they are in residential areas or is a standalone shop.

-Market complexes, except those within the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities, can open

What will remain shut

-Malls and cinemas

-Complexes with clusters of shops cannot open

-Shops in multi-brand and single-brand malls outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities are not exempted by the new order

-Shopping complexes, shops in market complexes, multi-brand and single-brand malls 

-Boutiques inside malls cannot open

-Liquor shops