Chandigarh lifts night curfew; bars, restaurants can operate till midnight

Chandigarh: Chandigarh administrated passed an order fully withdrawing night curfew in the union territory as the city continues to see a lower rate of Covid-19 infections.

A new order passed by the administration said restaurants and bars could now stay open for business from 8 am to 12 midnight.  

Government offices will now remain open for public dealings from 12 noon to 1 pm on all working days except for Wednesdays and Fridays. Visitors to these offices must either have had at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine or must have tested negative in an RT-PCR test taken no less than 72 hours ago.

Among other significant decisions, the Chandigarh administration decided to lift its 50 per cent capacity cap on public transport. Additionally, people no longer require permission from the sub-divisional magistrate for social gatherings and instead must only intimate them.

The following were the decisions taken in a Covid war room meeting that Chandigarh administrator VP Singh Badnore presided over:

—Night curfew is fully withdrawn as already done by Haryana and Punjab

—All restaurants/bars can remain open with 50% capacity from 08:00 AM to 12:00 Midnight.

—Public can visit the government offices in connection with their work between 12:00 Noon to 01:00 PM on all working days except Wednesdays & Fridays.  The visitors must have been vaccinated with at least first dose or have negative RT-PCR report of the last 72 hours.

—Hockey, Football and Cricket Academies of sports department are allowed to function, by following all Covid protocol and subject to the condition that all eligible players must have been vaccinated with at least first dose. As regards players under 18 years of age, consent of parents is required.

—Restriction of 50 per cent capacity of passengers for public transport is withdrawn.

—For marriages, social gatherings, etc. only intimation and undertaking to adhere to Covid protocols is required to be submitted to the concerned SDM, instead of permission.