India unlocks in 3 phases: Malls, restaurants, religious places re-open on June 8

• Hotels, restaurants, malls, hospitality services and religious places will re-open on June 8
• Lockdown will continue in the containment zones till June 30
• Unrestricted movement of people and goods in the country from June 1, except if any State decides otherwise
• Schools and other educational institutions may start functioning in July.
• Decision on international flights, metro rails, cinemas later
• Domestic flights resumed on May 25
• Trains will run normal service from June 1
• 'Night Curfew' hours relaxed

NEW DELHI, May 30: The Ministry of Home Affairs announced a set of guidelines on Saturday to lift the countrywide lockdown, which was to end on May 31, in three phases, except in the containment zones where the lockdown will continue till June 30.

However, most of the activities are left to the States/UTs to decide after due consideration of the situation available at a particular place and time in consultation with the Health Ministry, if needed.

The Health Ministry will issue in due course the necessary Standard Operating Procedures ((SOPs) vis-a-vis lifting of the restrictions.

The lockdown will continue in the containment zones till June 30. Additional restrictions and prohibition of activities in containment zones and their areas will be decided by the district authorities.

In the first phase of Unlock 1.0, hotels, restaurants, malls, hospitality services and religious places will open from June 8.

In the second phase, schools and all other educational institutions will start functioning. This could be in July and as decided by the States concerned in consultation with the educational institutions and the ministries, parents and other stakeholders.

In the third phase, international flights, metro rails, cinemas, sports facilities, entertainmet parks, gymnasiums, swimming pools and various functions of social, political, educational, cultural and religious nature are allowed to be resumed depending upon the situation available at the time and place. Details to be decided later.

The order allows unrestricted inter-State and intra-State movement of people and goods from June 1. There is no permission required. But the States can decide otherwise and impose restrictions considering the situation on the ground provided the curbs are well publicised so that the public is not put to unnecessary hardships.

The railways are already scheduled to resume train services from June 1. The Shramik trains for migrants and other specials for stranded passengers are already running. Domestic flights have already resumed from May 25.

The curfew curbs on movement of people has been relaxed from the earlier 7 pm-7 am to 9 pm-5am. The curfew is applicable throughout the country. Exempted are essential services.

Senior citizens above 65 years, pregnant women, children below 10 years of age and those with co-morbidities are advised to stay at home, and not to move out except for health and essential purposes.

Any person violating the guidelines will be liable to be proceeded against as per the provisions of the Disaster Management Act (Sections 51 to 60) and the IPC (Section 188).

In the light of the guidelines, Punjab has extended the lockdown to June 30, Madhya Pradesh and Bengal to June 15.