The Gautam Buddha Nagar administration in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday issued guidelines for the fourth phase of the lockdown, to last until May 31. One of the guidelines said that the Delhi-Noida border will remain sealed and no traffic movement, except for emergencies, will be allowed, India Today reported. This came a day after the Uttar Pradesh government allowed traffic movement from Delhi to Noida and Ghaziabad.

“Status quo shall be maintained between Delhi Noida Border for now,” the administration said in its order.

The guidelines said that metro rail services, schools, colleges, coaching institutions, hospitality services (except those providing for doctors, police personnel and stranded tourists), cinema halls, shopping malls, gymnasiums, swimming polls, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, assembly halls will remain shut, News18 reported. Stadiums will be allowed to reopen, but without spectators.

No interstate movement of passenger vehicles will be allowed, the guidelines said. Between 7 am and 7 pm, any kind of movement except for availing essential services will be prohibited. All industrial activities will be allowed, outside containment zones.

Shops which are open must keep hand sanitisers available for customers to use. Proper masks and gloves, among other things must be used by shopkeepers, the guidelines added. No customers without masks should be entertained. In urban areas, no weekly markets will be allowed to function.

Shops next to each other will operate on an alternate day basis. No shop, except those selling essential services, will be allowed to stay open between 7 pm and 7 am. Street vendors will be allowed to operate, but they will have to ensure face mask and gloves and will have to follow social distancing.

Marriage parties and funeral processions of over 20 people have been prohibited, the Gautam Buddha Nagar administration said.

In four-wheeler vehicles, only two people besides the driver will be allowed. On two-wheeler vehicles, no pillion rider will be permitted, except if the rider is a woman.

Public parks will remain open from 7 am to 10 am and 4 pm to 7 pm, except in containment areas, the guidelines said. These parks will have to be regularly sanitised.

Gautam Buddh Nagar has emerged as a hotspot of the coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh. As of Tuesday, the district had reported 286 cases of coronavirus, according to ThePrint. As many as 31 people tested positive on Monday.

The total number of cases in Uttar Pradesh stood at 4,926, including 123 deaths on Wednesday morning, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.


Follow today’s latest updates on Covid-19 here