Tamil Nadu: Lockdown extended till June 14th with district-specific relaxations 

Southern Indian State of Tamil Nadu is witnessing an overall decline in Covid-19 cases, but still the state’s daily caseload is the highest in the country. While cases are on gradual decline in northern districts including capital city Chennai, western and southern districts are witnessing high daily caseloads. The state government on Saturday extended the lockdown till June 14th, with new relaxations. The lockdown will be in effect till 6 am on that day.

Following relaxations are due to come into effect from June 7. The new set of district-specific guidelines have been issued keeping in mind 11 hotspot districts and the rest of Tamil Nadu.

Relaxations for all districts

• Standalone shops selling grocery, vegetables, fish, meat etc. can be run from 6am to 5pm.
• Pavement vendors selling fruits, vegetables, flowers can function from 6am to 5pm.
• Fish markets will be open only for wholesale sales. District administrations have been ordered to set up more than one such market in open spaces.
• Slaughterhouses will be permitted to sell on wholesale scale.
• Government offices can function with 30 percent staff
• Document registration will be permitted by issuing 50% capacity tokens
• Matchstick industry can function with 50 percent staff .
• Sales of vegetables, fruits at the doorstep via vehicles will continue in every district.
• The public is requested to walk to nearby stores for shopping, and avoid taking two and four-wheeler vehicles.
• Relaxations applicable to all districts (except 11 Covid hotspot Districts namely Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Karur, Namakkal, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai)
• Private security companies, housekeeping services in large housing complexes will be permitted with e-Registration
• Electricians, Plumbers, Computer and other technicians will be allowed to function between 6am to 5pm with e-Registration
• Shops selling electrical goods, bulbs, cables, switches, wires can function from 6am to 5pm
• Bicycle and two-wheeler service outlets will be allowed to function from 6am to 5pm
• Hardware stores will be allowed to remain open from 6am to 5pm
• Stores selling educational books, stationery can function from 6am to 5pm
• Service centers for vehicles can function from 6am to 5pm
• Passengers allowed to travel in rental vehicles, cabs, autos after e-registration
• Driver plus 3 passengers in Taxi; Driver plus 2 passengers in Auto

General

• E-pass from district collector will be compulsory for emergency travel to Nilgiris, Kodaikanal, Yercaud, Yelagiri
• Export firms in Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Salem, Karur, Erode, Namakkal, Trichy and their suppliers can function with 10 percent staff if they have export orders, to send samples.