All government offices will function in Kottayam and Idukki from Tuesday and all employees have to attend offices.
The government announced this as part of the relaxations in lockdown restrictions in Kottayam and Idukki, where no new COVID cases have been reported recently.
Restaurants can remain open from 7 am to 7 pm. Textiles shops can function from 9 am to 6 pm. All commercial establishments will remain open. However, restrictions on travelling to neighbouring districts will remain.
People have to wear masks while moving out. In cars and autos, only two passengers other than driver are allowed.
In Idukki district, designated as a green zone, life will be back to normal from April 21 provided people to observe social distancing.
All shops can remain open from 7 am to 6 pm. However, prohibitory order will continue in 28 wards in border areas.
Shops in Munnar will be allowed to function on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. In plantations, only local workers are allowed. Quarries can function. Works in the construction sector will also be allowed.
Buses will not ply until May 3
Public transport (including private buses) will not be operational during the lockdown period, which has recently been extended till May 3. An earlier notice by the government permitting bus to ply on the roads for one day a week has since been withdrawn.
Only those buses which have been sanctioned to run by the district collector and those currently in use by various companies to transport its employees and good are allowed on the roads until May 3.
Banks open
Banks will be operational, but their timing has been reduced to just four hours in all red zones in the state - Kasaragod, Kannur, Malappuram, Kozhikode. In all other districts, it will remain open from 10am to 4pm. Social distancing must be strictly followed in the bank premises.
Since there would be fewer employees working in the banks, people are advised to use the ATM or the bank's digital gateway where possible.
