Tamil Nadu lockdown: Malls, theatres, gyms and salons to be shut from April 26

Chennai, Apr 24: Tamil Nadu government on Saturday announced lockdown-like restrictions across the state in an attempt to control the spread of coronavirus. As per the new order, cinema theatres, shopping malls, gyms, convention halls, bars, recreation centres and bigger stores will be shut.

The new restrictions will come into force from 4 am on April 26.

Tamil Nadu lockdown: What's allowed, what's shut

• Groceries and all other kinds of retail outlets may continue to operate as usual
• Department stores could function without using airconditioning facility and by sticking to the '50 per cent' customer capacity norm.
• Spas, salons, beauty parlours etc to be shut.
• Only parcel/takeaway to be allowed in hotels, restaurants, and tea shops.
• All places of worship to be closed for the public.
• E-commerce services can function during the allowed timings.
• Wedding ceremonies to be perfomed with a maximum of 50 people.
• 25 people allowed in funerals.
• IT and ITES companies shall order at least 50% of its staff to work from home.
• Sports training centres shall be open only for national and international training purposes.
• Except for Puducherry all other state passengers and travellers should apply for e-pass through the government portal, they will be allowed if cleared.
• People from abroad and other states shall be allowed entry to Tamil Nadu only if they have registered in the portal http://eregister.tnega.org and information on registration should be produced to authorities on arrival.

Earlier covid restrictions like, complete lockdown on Sundays, night curfew on weekdays (10 pm-4 am) would continue to be on.

The state government had announced reintroduction of curbs like permission only for 50 per cent seating capacity in cinemas from April 10 and days ago it postponed class 12 public examination and came up with complete lockdown on Sundays and night curfew from 10 pm to 4 am, effective April 20 as virus cases continued to surge.