Tamil Nadu extends Lockdown till July 5

The ongoing lockdown was supposed to end on June 28 at 6 am. The extension of lockdown comes amid the detection of nine cases of the new Delta Plus variant in the state.

As per the new lockdown guidelines - gyms,  yoga centres (with 50% occupancy), museums and protected monuments will remain open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m in 27 districts. However, this will not be applicable in 11 other districts, including Coimbatore and Thanjavur.

People will have access to beaches across the state from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Bars and cinema halls will not be allowed to open.

Shopping complexes, malls and places of worship in the four districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengelpet in northern Tamil Nadu, which have relatively less cases and fall in the third category, will be allowed to open.

Jewelleries and textile showrooms in these four districts can operate allowing a maximum of 50 per cent customers at a given time.

Private establishments have been allowed to work with 100 per workforce in Chennai and three other districts.

Inter-district bus services as well as non-airconditioned bus services will resume with 50 per cent occupancy in 23 districts, which have been categorised in the second category on account of fewer coronavirus cases compared to category one.

The 11 districts, which fall in the first category with more cases, have been given some relaxation. The time duration for a variety of retail outlets, including tea shops, has been extended to 7 p.m. which was 2 p.m. earlier.

In these districts, government offices related to essential services will operate with 100 per cent capacity while other departments will work with 50 per cent capacity.

An e-pass would be needed to attend marriage functions in the districts in the first category while this requirement has been dispensed with in the categories two and three.