Lockdown-hit cinema halls to get relief package

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / July 5, 2021

Expanding the spectre of unlocking in Uttar Pradesh, the multiplexes, cinema halls, gyms and stadiums reopened from today after several weeks of lockdown 2.0.

However, they are mandated to follow standard Covid-19 safety protocols. The night curfew between 9 pm and 7 am and the weekend curfew on Saturday and Sunday will exist.

Meanwhile, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to hammer out a relief package for the state cinema halls owners, who had suffered major losses owing to the pandemic, according to UP additional chief secretary, information department, Navneet Sehgal.

Nonetheless, the educational institutions, including schools, colleges and coaching centres are still not allowed to function in the state.

Earlier, the UP government had allowed for the conditional reopening of shopping malls and restaurants in the state from June 21, subject to a maximum of 50 per cent capacity. The parks and street food outlets were also allowed to reopen.

In fact, the process of unlock 2.0 in UP outside the containment zone was set in motion from June 1, 2021 in those districts, where the active number of Covid cases was below 600.

So far, the state has administered 32.6 million doses of Covid vaccines with 4.8 million people getting both the doses, he informed.