Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday, 29 April, announced that the curfew restrictions in the state will be extended by two more weeks till 17 May, though a four-hour relaxation from the lockdown will be granted everyday from 7 am to 11 am in areas not marked as red or containment zones.
During the four-hour period, people can come out of their houses and certain shops can open, he said in a video message.
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The limited lifting of restrictions will be applicable to non-containment and non-red zones from Thursday, subject to strict adherence to COVID-19 safety protocol, the CM's office tweeted. "Certain shops to open by rotation from 7 to 11 am," it added.
The Punjab CM's announcement comes as the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus is scheduled to come to an end on 3 May. However, the lockdown is expected to be extended, albeit with more relaxations to be announced in areas least affected by the virus, that is, the green zones.
According to the Health Ministry data, Punjab has recorded a total of 322 COVID-19 cases, including 19 deaths and 71 people who have been cured or discharged.
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