People In Bengaluru Now Permitted To Move Without Pass Between 7AM to 7PM: Police Commissioner

The government extended the nationwide lockdown for another two weeks, with certain relaxations in the lockdown norms. The relaxation of the norms is not applicable to containment zones.

For areas in the red zone outside of the containment region, certain activities are allowed with due conditions to be followed. Lockdown norms will however remain strict for people under high risk category (those over 65 years, those with comorbidities, pregnant women and children below 10 years).

The Bangalore Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao tweeted that movement in Bangalore between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. would not require a pass, effective 4th May onwards. The checkpoints will remain and ID may be asked. The following 12 hours (7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.), however, would be a curfew period and movement will be restricted even with a pass except for medical and essential services.

The Commissioner urged people to be responsible in his tweet and also said the orders can be reversed if COVID-19 cases increase.

Bangalore urban, Bangalore rural and Mysore have been classified as red zones in Karnataka as of May 1st.

In the red zones, vehicles can travel for permitted activities, with a maximum of two persons besides the driver for a four wheeler, and for a two wheeler there should be no pillion rider.

It is mandatory for liquor shops CCTV cameras outside their outlets and must be shut by 7:00 p.m. All standalone shops, neighborhood shops and shops in residential complexes are permitted to remain open in urban areas without distinction of essential and non-essential.

Other permitted activities include the working of industrial establishments in urban areas with access control, manufacturing of essential goods, IT hardware and packaging, construction activity where labour is available in-situ, and e-commerce only for essential goods. Cycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws, taxis and cab aggregators, intra-district and inter-district plying of buses, barber shops, spas & salons are some of the services that will remain shut.

The Chief Secretary in Sunday's order stated that all of the government's staff from various departments, classifying as essential services are to report on duty from may 4th in the three districts in the red zone.

All Group A (high-ranking officers) and Group B (junior non-gazetted commissioned) officers and 33% of Group C (assistant staff like clerks, stenographers, typists, assistants) and Group D (supporting staff like drivers, cleaners, guards) staff in other departments in red zone districts will attend work.

These relaxations will be observed in 177 wards out of 198 wards in Bangalore, which means 90 percent of the city will resume activity.

The inter district movement will require employees to show a letter issued by respective organisations and employment ID.

Apart from this, activities that are still prohibited nationwide include air, rail, metro, inter-state movement by road, schools, colleges, training/coaching institutions, hospitality services- including hotels and restaurants, places of large public gatherings, cinema halls, malls, gymnasiums, sports complexes, social, political, cultural and other kinds of gatherings, and religious places/places of worship for public.

Also Read: Lockdown 3.0: Karnataka Government Provides Free Transport To Migrants Till May 5