Tamil Nadu Coronavirus Lockdown Relaxation

To the great relief of millions of people in Tamil Nadu, the government has relaxed many lockdown norms for shops and offices to be open from today, May 11, 2020. As per chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami's relaxation order on Saturday, May 9, many standalone shops will start functioning in various timing in non-containment zones across Tamil Nadu.

For the past, more than 45 days, all shops except for essential food and medical products remain closed. Also, Sec. 144 restricted the movement of the people to stay at home to be safe from Coronavirus infection. The all India lockdown ends only on May 17, but the Tamil Nadu government to ease the economy and livelihood of the people had relaxed many lockdown norms from today.

It will help the small vendors, daily workers, and others to go to work and earn money to support their families. Also, the people who needed such shops for their emergent needs after 45 days of being shut will benefit from it.

The following are the conditions for the shops to remain open in Tamil Nadu. 

• Shops selling essential commodities like grocery and vegetables will be open from 6 am to 7 pm across the state.
• Bakeries and hotels will be open for only takeaways.
• Tea shops can function from 6 am to 7 pm but allowed for only takeaways to avoid crowding of people drinking tea near the shop.
• Standalone shops can open from 10 am to 7 pm without air conditioners except in Chennai, where the time limit is from 10:30 am to 6 pm except salons, spas, and barbershops.
• Standalone shops include hardware, electrical, electronic, mobile, Xerox, TV sales & service, house appliances, small jewelers, furniture, spectacles, dry cleaners, roadside mobile shops, courier, parcel, and lorry booking services. 
• Petrol bunks will function from 6 am to 8 pm except for Chennai, where it should shut shop at 6 pm.
• Across the state, private offices  can function from 10 am to 7 pm with only 33 % of employees and restricted to Chennai from 10:30 am to 6 pm

Everyone coming out of their house should wear marks and follow standard operating procedures. With Tamil Nadu government first to announce relaxing of many lockdown rules in India,  it is necessary for the people to follow them to not only be safe but also to continue enjoying it.