The Rajasthan government on Sunday announced the closure of schools in urban areas, a Sunday curfew, time limits in markets and a limit on the occupancy of restaurants and cinemas in view of an increase in COVID-19 cases.
The restrictions were tightened on a day when the state registered 5,660 new Covid cases and one death. Of the new infections, 2,377 have been reported in Jaipur. Rajasthan currently has 19,467 active cases.
“There are reports of thousands of doctors becoming infected. The situation is worrying. We must all fight this pandemic together. We will only succeed in this with the cooperation of the public,” he tweeted.
According to the guidelines of the Ministry of the Interior, schools up to class 12 in the municipal corporation and municipal areas are closed until January 30. The online classes will continue as before, as it was read.
Earlier, the government had announced the closure of schools for grades 1 to 8 to 17 January in the municipal business areas of Jaipur and Jodhpur.
According to the guidelines, schools will be closed from Monday, but the rest of the restrictions will take effect from January 11. Authorities have also decided to impose a curfew from 11pm on Saturday to 5am on Monday to stop the spread of the disease.
During this period, all markets, workplaces and business complexes will remain closed, according to the guidelines.
However, factories with continuous production cycles and night shifts, IT and e-commerce, drug stores, wedding-related services, emergency services, bus and train stations and health services are exempt.
Shops, malls and other commercial establishments are allowed to operate until 8 p.m. according to the guidelines, while restaurants and clubs are allowed to operate until 10 p.m. with 50 percent of the seating capacity.
Movie theaters, multiplexes, amusement parks, banquet halls, etc. will have to operate at a 50 percent occupancy rate and close at 8 p.m.
A maximum of 100 people are allowed at wedding ceremonies, but this maximum will be 50 for those in municipal corporations and municipal areas until January 30.
All the religious places remain open until 8pm, but offerings like garlands, prasad, chadar and other things are prohibited. The curfew will remain in effect from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily, the guidelines said. As many as 9,76,177 people have tested Covid positive in the state. Of them, 8,972 died and 9,47,738 were recovered.
