Metro services likely to start in September but schools, colleges to remain shut

The government is likely to further open up the country in September and ease Covid-19 restrictions by allowing resumption of Metro services but educational institutions are unlikely to reopen anytime soon.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will be soon issuing guidelines for Unlock 4.0 from September 1 as the existing guidelines will be expiring on August 30.

Metro services, which were suspended in March this year, are likely to start functioning from early September but with restrictions. The number of passengers in a Metro coach will be restricted while access to stations will be controlled, officials said.

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Once the services start, officials said, social distancing will be ensured in metro stations. Sanitisation drives will be regularly conducted. A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is also likely to be put in place.

There have been demands from state governments like Delhi to restart Metro services. Delhi Metro on Sunday said it is prepared to resume operations whenever directed by the government, hours after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal demanded resumption of services on a trial basis as the Covid-19 situation is improving in the capital.

However, schools and colleges are unlikely to be re-opened in September with several states still not enthusiastic about the proposal, amid concerns that it would result in an increase in the number of cases among the young population.

Concerns were also raised about how social distancing norms can be enforced in educational institutions. According to a survey by LocalCircles, 62 per cent of around 25,000 respondents said that they would not be sending their children to schools.

With states continuing to complain about dip in revenues, the Centre may also allow re-opening of bars across the country. However, the proposal is only for allowing take away.

It is also to be seen whether cinema halls and multiplexes will be allowed to open in September. There has been demand from cinema hall and multiplex owners for re-starting operations even as the government on Sunday announced SOPs for resuming shooting of films and TV programmes.

In Unlock 3.0 guidelines for August, the government had lifted the night curfew, besides allowing yoga schools and gymnasiums to start functioning from August 5. Besides cinema halls and bars, the government had also not allowed the re-opening of swimming pools, entertainment parks, auditoriums and assembly halls in the guidelines.

A national lockdown was put in place on March 25 to contain the Covid-19 pandemic and since June 1, the Centre has been unlocking the country to lift restrictions imposed till May 31 in a staggered manner.