The Home Ministry has allowed all shops within municipal limits registered under the Shops and Establishment Act, including standalone shops, neighborhood shops and those in residential complexes to remain open.

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The relaxation does not apply to hotspots and containment areas, the ministry clarified.

Outside municipal limits, the ministry said all shops in residential and market complexes can remain open.

All shops that remain open will have to work with 50 percent staff and ensure usage of masks as well as observance of social distancing.

Shops inside malls (and within municipal limits, market complexes) cannot stay open.

The lockdown comes close on the heels of a set of relaxations the Home Ministry allowed since April 20, including restart of manufacturing activities in several areas.

It is not clear whether the latest relaxation applies immediately apply to all states or whether states will have to issue separate rules on this.

But the relaxation could potentially allow a vast number of establishments across the country to open, including cloth shops, beauty parlours, retail stores and jewellery shops.

The Akshaya Tritiya festival falls on April 26.

Rules may also need to be enacted to allow people to step out of their homes to make non-essential purchases.

MHA orders to exempt all shops under Shops&Establishment Act of States/UTs, including shops in residential complexes and market complexes, except shops in multi-brand & single-brand malls, outside limits of Municipal Corporations from revised consolidated lockdown restrictions. pic.twitter.com/sDHUAszJTZ

— ANI (@ANI) April 24, 2020

First Published:Apr 25, 2020 12:20 AM IST