Shopping malls, religious places, hotels and restaurants reopened in most states of India on Monday after over two months of lockdown. Unlock-1--the first of the three-phase plan for reopening of prohibited activities in non-containment zones --kicks in at a time when the country recorded a daily jump of Covid-19 cases by over 9,000 for the fifth straight day on Sunday. The SOPs will be in place till June 30. The new phase is challenging for the five worst affected states, accounting for nearly 70 per cent of the total confirmed coronavirus cases, and nearly 78 per cent of the deaths. A visit to the shopping malls, hotels and restaurants and religious places will no longer be the same like before the lockdown imposed on March 25. In the malls, cinema halls, gaming arcades and children play areas will continue to be in the prohibited segment. The SOPs are advisory in nature and the Centre has left it to the states to finetune the details. The Punjab government for example provides for a token-based entry to malls as part of its guidelines. In Gujarat, some of the religious places have decided to organise prayers in shifts and even start a token system to specify time slots to devotees for visits in a bid to maintain social distancing and avoid crowding.

Shopping malls, religious places, hotels and restaurants reopened in most states of India on Monday after over two months of lockdown. Unlock-1--the first of the three-phase plan for reopening of prohibited activities in non-containment zones --kicks in at a time when the country recorded a daily jump of Covid-19 cases by over 9,000 for the fifth straight day on Sunday. The SOPs will be in place till June 30. The new phase is challenging for the five worst affected states, accounting for nearly 70 per cent of the total confirmed coronavirus cases, and nearly 78 per cent of the deaths. A visit to the shopping malls, hotels and restaurants and religious places will no longer be the same like before the lockdown imposed on March 25. In the malls, cinema halls, gaming arcades and children play areas will continue to be in the prohibited segment. The SOPs are advisory in nature and the Centre has left it to the states to finetune the details. The Punjab government for example provides for a token-based entry to malls as part of its guidelines. In Gujarat, some of the religious places have decided to organise prayers in shifts and even start a token system to specify time slots to devotees for visits in a bid to maintain social distancing and avoid crowding.