A late night order by the Home Ministry informs that there is going to be respite from the lockdown, beginning today, 25 April, which is also the first day of the Holy month of Ramadan.

The order by the Home Ministry, that is forming the basis of this phased approach to opening the lockdown by permitting the opening of neighborhood shops providing non-essential products and services, is being seen as a relief to the people who are under lockdown for over a month now, with the nationwide lockdown beginning exactly a month earlier, on March 25.  These orders, however will be implemented as per the directives of the local administration, looking at the ground level situation in the district and allotment of hotspot and containment zones.

The MHA Orders can be interpreted as follows (subject to guidelines issued by local administration).

Ministry of Home Affairs relaxation order in continuation of MHA Order No. 40-3/2020-DM-I(A) dated 15th April has issued amendments as Confirmed by the Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs, which says that all registered shops under Shops & Establishment Act of respective States/Union Territories, including shops in residential complexes, neighborhood & standalone shops have been exempted from the Lockdown restrictions.  The shops that have been allowed to open from 25 April, Saturday include shops located in residential complexes within and outside the limits of municipalities and municipal areas. However market complexes within the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities are not included in this order.

#COVID19 update
All registered shops regd under Shops & Establishment Act of respective States/ UTs, including shops in residential complexes, neighborhood & standalone shops exempted from #lockdown restrictions.

Prohibited: Shops in single & multi brand malls pic.twitter.com/NNz9abgWdA

— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) April 24, 2020

1. Shops registered under the Shops and Establishment Act of respective State/Union Territory including those in market and residential complexes OUTSIDE the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities will be allowed to open.
2. All Standalone Shops, neighborhood shops and shops in residential complexes WITHIN the limits of municipal corporations will be allowed to open.
3. ALL MARKETS in rural and semi-rural areas are allowed to open from Saturday, 25 April.
4. In URBAN areas, shops dealing in non-essential goods and servicesb will be allowed to operate, provided they are in residential areas or are standalone shops.
5. Local Salons/Barber shops and Parlours can open from Saturday, 25 April. 
6. Shops in MARKET COMPLEXES OUTSIDE the limits of Municipal corporations and municipalities will be allowed to open.

1. SHOPS in multi-brand and single-brand Malls OUTSIDE and WITHIN limits of municipal corporations and municipalities will NOT BE ALLOWED to open from 25 April.
2. Big Shops/Brands/Market Places will remain shut.
3. In urban (municipal areas) non-essential establishments in market complexes like Celebration Mall,. RK Mall, Lake City Mall, Arvanah, Lodha Complex, Emeral Complex, etc will NOT BE ALLOWED to open from 25 April (subject to local administration orders).
4. LIQUOR SHOPS are not allowed to open.

1. All establishments that are allowed to operate as per MHA Orders from 25 April need to operate on 50% strength of workers.
2. All workers MUST wear MASKS.
3. All establishments MUST observe the social distancing norms.

Do note that the above details are deciphered from the orders of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Local Administration may take a call on the orders as per their understanding of the ground level situation in the areas under their jurisdiction and control.  THIS NEWS PIECE Will be UPDATED based on instructions from LOCAL ADMINISTRATION.

Permissions, restriction on movement of vehicles, returning of vehicles confiscated in the last few days, passes and all such decisions will be dependant on the instructions issued by the local administration.  People are advised to wait for local administrative orders before venturing out into the market. SOCIAL DISTANCING NORMS NEED TO BE FOLLOWED.