Telangana unlocked : Buses to ply, shops, saloons open

Hyderabad: Life in Telangana will be back to normal from Tuesday. The state government is of the opinion that since no one knows when the vaccine or medicine for coronavirus would be available, people should learn to live with it and yet ensure that the economy moves forward.

In view of this, while extending the lockdown till May 31, the state Cabinet decided that all shops in the state except in Hyderabad would start functioning from Tuesday.

Hyderabad city too will open but instead of permitting all shops to remain open, the Cabinet decided that only alternative shops will be permitted to function.

In containment areas there will be no relaxation from the lockdown and no shops will be permitted. Briefing the media after the press conference, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday said that the shops too will have to follow the protocols like ensuring social distancing by customers and keep hand sanitization bottles at the entrance.

It also decided that the inter-district TSRTC bus services will start from Tuesday. These buses will be operated by following standard operational protocol.

All buses will be sanitized at the bus stations before they move out and all the staff will be subjected to thermal gun check. It will be mandatory for the staff and passengers to use masks and sanitise their hands before boarding the bus.

All inter-district buses will start and culminate at Jubilee Bus Station. They will reach Jubilee Bus station before 7 am. No buses will operate from Imliban Bus Station.

However, the city buses and Metro Rail will not be permitted to operate. The government feels that it will be near impossible to maintain social distancing and other Covid-19 protocols if city buses are to be operated.

Giving much relief to all those who have been feeling miserable with no saloons functioning, it has been decided to permit them also. They too will have to follow the protocols like social distancing and sanitizing their premises and equipment they use.

The Chief Minister said e-commerce operations will be permitted without any restrictions. Similarly, all government and private offices can start functioning without any hindrance.

They will however have to shut down by 6 pm since curfew would be in place between 7 pm and 7 am. The offices will have to follow all protocols.

To make their travel easy in the absence of public transport, the state cabinet decided to allow plying of auto rickshaws and cabs in the state including Hyderabad city.

In auto only two passengers plus driver will be permitted. In cabs and personal cars three passengers plus driver will be allowed. Anyone who violates these rules will be punished severely. KCR asked the police to implement the rules strictly.

The Cabinet further decided that all places of worship, malls, cinema halls, function halls, bars, pubs, gyms, sports stadia, park, amusement parks, swimming pools, pubs, educational institutions will remain closed.

The Chief Minister appealed to the people not to come on to roads in large numbers and maintain self-discipline.

These relaxations, he said, stand the threat of being withdrawn and the government would be forced to re-impose complete lockdown if there was a surge in the corona cases.

Hence, in their own interest, he said, people should come out only when it is necessary.