Gujarat: Curbs on shops, travel, banks eased from today

As per the central government guidelines, lockdown in containment zones has been extended till June 30.

Only essentials including vegetables, fruits, medical stores, grocery shops, hospitals, nursing homes, private medical practitioners are allowed from 7 am to 7 pm in these micro-containment areas. No person living in these zones are allowed to venture outside.

Declaring the guidelines for the relaxations to be implemented from June 1, AMC announced that all bridges will be open to traffic.

All business and trade activities will be allowed in Ahmedabad city except containment and micro containment zones from 8 am till 7 pm while continuous processing units will be operational till 8 pm.

As of now only vegetable and fruit vendors are allowed, while others will be allowed outside the containment zones from June 8, at locations designated by AMC.

All government and non-government offices can function at full capacity, however, those staying in containment zones cannot step out to join work.

Sports complex and stadium will open but not for the audience. Televised broadcast is permitted.

Banks, new cloth market and all other markets that are outside the containment zones will open in addition to cloth shops, showrooms, salons, parlours, libraries. All repairing shops, garage, workshops and service stations, tea and coffee stalls, pan masala shops (only take away) can function.

Hotels, clubs, restaurants, malls, shops within malls and all religious places can open from June 8.

AMTS and BRTS buses

As many as 125 Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) buses will ply from 7 am to 7 pm with 50 per cent capacity on eight routes from June 1.

Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) routes have been restructured keeping in mind the containment zones. In city’s eastern areas, buses will ply till Hatkeshwar, Naroda and Sarangpur, Kalupur with 5, 3 and 17 routes, respectively. While in the western parts these will ply till Vasna/Paldi, Ashram Road and Vadaj with 14, 13 and 9 routes, respectively.

Barring containment zones, the eight routes declared by Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL) running BRTS buses include Zundal to LD Engineering College, Gota crossroads to LD Engineering College, Bhadaj Circle to Juna Vadaj, Ghuma Gam to Nehrunagar, Iscon Crossroads to Anjali, RTO circle to Iscon Crossroads, Naroda Gam to Narol, Odhav Ring Road to Ajit Mill.

Signages have been put up in BRTS buses as well as bus stops for commuters to maintain social distancing. Buses will be available on these routes every 8-10 minutes. “Any passenger not wearing mask or spitting would be penalised Rs 200. Also, all employees are required to install Aarogya Seva Setu App,” the statement issued by AJL and AMTS said.