In today’s lockdown news, the Centre has extended the nationwide lockdown till May 31 (the lockdown 4.0), but with new relaxations in place. Now 54 days into the lockdown, the country is finally ready to reopen in certain states but with certain conditions in place.
- As expressed by government officials, the states are likely to allow a resumption of all industrial activities, offices and standalone markets in lockdown 4.0 across India.
- The big structural change from the last set of guidelines is that the complicated colour division of the country into Red, Orange and Green zones will now be changed into two simple categories– containment zones and the rest of the country (non-containment zones).
- Unlike the previous lockdowns, official guidelines have now allowed the state and union territory governments to define their own containment zones.
Table of Contents –
- What is lockdown 4.0?
- What does lockdown 4.0 mean in terms of travel and movement?
- What does lockdown 4.0 mean in terms of interstate and intercity travel?
- Important update for private vehicles
- Lockdown 4.0 guidelines for taxis and cabs
- Lockdown 4.0 guidelines for public transport
- What does lockdown 4.0 in India mean for travel passes?
- Situation at Savaari
What is lockdown 4.0?
With the lockdown extended till May 31, the state governments are working on a definite plan for resumption of services and activities. This will include a redefinition of containment zones based on the new guidelines issued by the Health Ministry. Broadly, here’s the list of what’s allowed and what’s not:
- Complete shutdowns with just essential services will continue in containment zones. Resumption of all services will be permitted in all the non-containment zones.
- However, large social gatherings will not be permitted in any state, regardless of their zone classification.
- Schools and colleges remain closed along with gyms, cinema halls, malls, bars and similar places. In addition, all places of worship shall also remain closed until May 31.
- Some of the worst affected states in India such as Maharashtra, UP, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are expected to come up with far stricter guidelines. Lockdown 4.0 in Mumbai, the epicentre of India’s COVID infections is widely speculated to continue beyond May 31.
What does lockdown 4.0 mean in terms of travel and movement?
Lockdown 4.0 rules will certainly allow relaxations in terms of travel.
- All citizens are to strictly adhere to the “7 am to 7 pm” movement rule. This means one can only step out between 7 am and 7 pm, except those in need of an essential service or a medical emergency.
- The necessity of travel pass still holds valid in certain scenarios. The section on travel pass elaborates these scenarios.
- Those above 65 years of age, pregnant women and children must remain home, except those in need of an essential or a medical emergency.
What does lockdown 4.0 mean in terms of Intra-state, Inter-district and Inter-state Travel?
The numerous rules that confused travellers across the country have now been simplified as a part of the lockdown 4.0. These are described below:
Intra-city travel:
Movement of private vehicles, as well as cabs/taxis, are completely permitted in areas that are non-containment zones. Travel in such cases are permitted even without a valid travel pass.
Exceptions: The exceptions include cities in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat that have a high density of containment zones. Movement is restricted in these cases, except when one has an official travel pass.
Inter-district travel:
Travel restrictions between districts in the same state are also relaxed to allow both private vehicles as well as cabs. As with travel within cities, inter-district travel does not require a travel pass.
Exceptions: The exceptions include inter-district travels in the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. Movement is restricted in these cases, except when one has an official travel pass.
Inter-state travel:
Travel between states is still being handled cautiously by the respective state governments. Early signs indicate that travellers compulsorily require a travel pass for any form of inter-state travel.
Exceptions: Certain inter-state borders have been sealed that completely block movement. Prominent examples include Karnataka-Maharashtra, Karnataka-Tamil Nadu, Gujarat-Rajasthan and Maharashtra-Gujarat.
Important updates for private vehicles
- Private vehicles can only be taken out from 7 am to 7 pm.
- Further, Inter-state and Intra-state movement of private vehicles will only be allowed on mutual consent of the state(s) and UT(s) involved (refer to the above section).
- The MHA has also clarified that in the containment zones, travel related to only essential activities will be permitted.
Lockdown 4.0 guidelines for Taxis and Cabs
Savaari is finally back on the roads. We are delighted to announce that we have resumed our services across the country. Though certain restrictions continue to be in place for the safety of our nation, here are certain measures that remain the same throughout.
- Taxis would resume with certain restrictions on the number of passengers, though only in non-containment zones according to the new lockdown 4.0 updates.
- Four seater cabs will accommodate only two passengers. In certain cases, in six-seater cabs up to three passengers are allowed (excluding the driver).
- A very strict parameter will be put in place to check that there is no movement of people in or out of containment zones, except for those in medical emergencies or those supplying essential goods and services.
Lockdown 4.0 guidelines for Public Transport
In its latest phase, the lockdown 4.0 guidelines in India has been eased considerably.
- Buses will be allowed to operate only with the mutual consent of states or union territories.
- Only 30 passengers will be allowed inside buses with strict adherence to social distancing to be followed.
- However, the operation of metro trains has still not been allowed in any state.
What does lockdown 4.0 in India mean for Travel Passes?
Travel Passes are required for movement between districts and states only under certain special conditions that are described in the section – Intra-city, Inter-district and Inter-state Travel rules.
Residents of all states can apply for an e-permit travel pass through this website developed by the government. This doesn’t list all the states. So, in case you are looking for state-wise categorization, detailed guidelines and procedure for application of the e-travel pass, refer to this comprehensive article. The lockdown permit pass can be applied online on the website for only a limited category of travel. People who will be permitted to apply on this website are – students, essential service providers, tourists, pilgrims, cases of emergency/medical travel and marriage arrangements.
In case you are looking for state-wise categorization, detailed guidelines and procedure for application of the e-travel pass, refer to this comprehensive article.
Additional Note: On May 18, the Delhi Traffic Police confirmed that private vehicles will need e-passes issued by competent authorities to be able to pass borders. This is relevant in case of movement from Delhi to Gurgaon, Noida, Faridabad, or Ghaziabad.
Situation at Savaari
- Upon booking with us, our team will get in touch with you for the next steps involved in your travel. In a few exceptional cases, we may require you to cancel your booking if your destination falls under a containment zone.
- We will provide you with the cab and driver details immediately after your booking has been confirmed. You may use this information to apply for an e-permit travel pass issued by the government authorities. It is important that you carry a hard copy of the Travel Pass when traveling with us.
- Ensuring the health and safety of all employees, we have permitted a work from home policy till May 31. This has been put in place to ensure that all our employees are safe during the pandemic. Our telephone numbers are not reachable at the moment. Please mail us at orders@savaari.com for any clarifications related to your trip.
Take a moment to read our in-depth report on “India Travel Report – Mobility after the COVID 19 Pandemic“.
Last Updated on September 15, 2020 by Harpreet Janeja
