The Assam government on Monday said standalone shops in rural areas, excluding the COVID-19 containment zones, will be allowed to open from Tuesday amid the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus. The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting in the afternoon.
"Only standalone shops in rural areas in green and orange zones (except containment areas) will open. No Bazar or haat will open.... No rural shops in 5 km of boundary of Red Zone will be allowed," Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna said in a tweet.
"For urban areas, it will be reviewed on May 3," he said.
The Union government had recently said neighbourhood and standalone shops, including those selling garments, mobile phones, hardware and stationery items, have been allowed to open but those located in marketplaces, malls and COVID-19 hotspots and containment zones will continue to remain shut till May 3.
In rural areas, all shops, except those in single and multi-brand shopping malls, are allowed to open.
The shops will function with 50 per cent workforce and strictly adhere to precautions, which include social distancing and wearing of masks, the Centre had said in an order.
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