Coronavirus India Updates: India Allows Reopening Of Multiplexes, Theme Parks From Oct. 15

Hotels, food courts, restaurants and bars in Maharashtra will be allowed to operate with customers up to 50% capacity from Oct. 5, the state government said in its new lockdown guidelines.

• The state government has extended the lockdown till the midnight of Oct. 31 and issued fresh guidelines.
• Railways will also increase the frequency of local trains to meet the higher demand.
• Dabbawalas in the Mumbai metropolitan region will also be allowed in local trains after procuring permits from the Mumbai police.

The Indian government has allowed reopening multiplexes, theme parks and swimming pools with limited capacities in its new guidelines.

All these relaxations will be applicable from Oct. 15 only outside containment zones, the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

• Multiplexes will be allowed to reopen with 50% of their seating capacity.
• Business-to-business exhibitions will also be allowed subject to standard operating procedures.
• Swimming pools will be allowed to reopen for the training of sportspersons.
• Entertainment parks and other similar places will also be allowed to reopen.

Further detailed guidelines will be issued by respective ministries.

Update On Schools

The central government has also said that states and union territories can decide when they want to reopen schools, colleges and educational institutes after Oct. 15. However, attendance will not be compulsory and permitted only after the written consent of parents or guardians. Students will continue to have the option of online classes.

Update On Religious, Social Gatherings

The state governments have been given the flexibility to allow social gatherings--religious, political or cultural in nature--and other congregations above the limit of 100 persons outside containment zones.

A total of 7,41,96,729 samples tested for #COVID19, up to 29th September. Of these, 10,86,688 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) pic.twitter.com/M9OGx2CUNj

— ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2020

Global Update

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologized for wrongly explaining his own government’s coronavirus rules, while Germany is taking steps to rein in parties. New York City, America’s early epicenter, reported its highest test positivity rate in months.

Globally, total cases topped 33.4 million with over 1 million dead as of Wednesday morning.

Track the latest updates on the Covid-19 pandemic in India, here.