Tamil Nadu Lockdown Extended till May 31 and New relaxations from May 18

Check out if you are in the 25 districts to enjoy the relaxation in lockdown 4.0 until May 31

Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi Palanisami extends the lockdown until midnight on May 31 with many relaxations, including transportation within the district. But it is only for 25 districts and not for 12 districts. Tamil Nadu is the second state to extend the lockdown after Maharashtra. With 10,585 infected cases only next to Maharashtra and Gujarat has made this continuance of lockdown inevitable, but it is with a lot of relaxations. 

In his detailed letter to the Tamil Nadu people, the chief minister listed the many reasons for the continuance of lockdown.  The meeting with the district collectors and the expert medical panel, their recommendations have resulted in lockdown 4.0 for Tamil Nadu.  The following are  the restrictions to continue until May 31

Existing restrictions to continue until May 31 in Tamil Nadu

• All educational institutions remain closed.
• All spiritual places to remain closed and the ban on any religious gathering to continue
• All places with people gathering in many places like theaters, malls, zoos, gyms, TASMAC bars, swimming pools, etc.
• All meetings and rallies of spiritual, political, sports and others
• No transit of auto, taxi and cycle rickshaws
• All metro trains and electric trains
• Lodges, residential hotels, and resorts except for staff quarters
• Existing norms for marriages and death ceremonies will continue to not more than 20 people attending them.

New relaxations from May 18 in Tamil Nadu

There are many relaxations announced by the chief minister.  They are  as per the advice of the expert medical panel and the suggestions from the district collectors that include

• The existing 33 % of employees in many private and public offices to increase to 50 %
• Buses to ply within the 25 districts limits  and people can travel without e-pass 
• People are requested to visit for only essential causes and not unnecessarily to control the spread of the infection
• People wishing to go to another district need e-pass as usual 
• E-Pass NOT required for Medical visits to nearby districts
• Special permission granted to buses of private companies and for government work with only 20 passengers.
• Seven passengers are allowed to travel in vans, 3 in big cars, and 2 in small cars along with the driver.
• Rented cars and taxis are allowed without e-pass only for essential purposes like business, emergency, health issues, and others
• Factories with less than 100 people working can allow all their employees to work and for those with more than 100 employees can allow working 50 % or 100 employees, whichever is more.
• Maintenance work in closed establishments is allowed with minimum workers.
• Correction of plus two papers is only allowed.
• Permission for training to national and international competitions can be obtained from district collectors.

Districts that are not to enjoy the above restrictions in Tamil Nadu

All the above relaxations are only for 25 districts and that too, not for the containment zones in those districts.  The unlucky districts include

• Chennai
• Kanchipuram
• Tiruvallur
• Chengalpat
• Villupuram
• Cuddalore
• Ranipet
• Tiurpattur
• Kallakurichi
• Tiruvannamalai
• Ariyalur
• Perambalur

All those who live in these 12 districts have to wait until midnight on May 31 to enjoy the relaxations and get back to normal life like the lucky 25 district people.