Gujarat increases night curfew timings by 2 hours

Following the huge surge in Covid cases day by day, the Gujarat government on Friday increased the night curfew timings in all the 8 Municipal Corporation areas and the towns of Anand and Nadiad by two hours. The curfew will start at 10 p.m. and continue till 6 a.m. from January 8.

The existing night curfew hours in these areas are 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Now commercial units can be opened only till 10 p.m. in these cities. Hotels and restaurants in these areas can operate only with 75 per cent capacity till 10 p.m. However home delivery services of hotels and restaurants can be operated till 11 p.m.

The other decisions that will be effective for the entire state include a limit of 400 persons in open gatherings and a limit of 400 persons in closed venues but only 50 per cent of the total space. The same limits will be effective for wedding functions for which registration will be required on the Digital Gujarat Portal.

A maximum of 100 persons will be allowed at funerals and last rites. Non AC and AC buses will be able to operate with 75 per cent capacity. Bus services are exempted from night curfew. Cinema halls can operate with 50 per cent capacity as can gymns, water parks, swimming pools, libraries, auditoriums, assembly halls, entertainment places. Public parks and gardens can remain open till 10 p.m.


Coaching centres, tuition classes above class 9 will be able to operate with 50 per cent capacity. Schools across the state from class 1 to 9 will operate only online till January 31. Offline teaching will remain shut. Recruitment and competitive exams can be conducted with SOP (standard operating procedures) in place and in adherence to Covid guidelines. Sports complexes, sports stadiums can host sports events but without the presence of spectatora.

No social, educational, cultural, religious programmes will be allowed during the curfew hours. Essential services staffers will be required to produce identity cards during curfew hours. The persons venturing out in curfew hours due to unavoidable circumstances, will be required to produce doctors' prescription, treatment related papers and other supporting documents for movement.

The movements of attendants of ailing, pregnant, weak persons will be allowed in curfew hours. Those who produce railway, airport, ST, city bus tickets will be permitted movement during curfew hours.-IANS