Week-long tightened lockdown in Tamil Nadu from May 24

Following a meeting with law markers from all parties, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced a week-long extension to the ongoing statewide lockdown starting from May 24 morning. The relaxations would be further tightened to curb the spread of coronavirus, he said.

Pharmacies, milk, newspaper, essential departments at the State Secretariat and District Headquarters, fuel outlets, ATM services, trucks carrying essential items and industries manufacturing essential commodities have been exempted from the lockdown. Hotels and restaurants can provide takeaways between 6-10 AM, 12-3 PM and 6-9 PM and food delivery companies can also function in the same time frames.

While intradistrict travel is permitted for medical reasons without e-registration, inter-district travel would require e-registration. Vegetables and fruits will be supplied to people by the horticulture department through vehicles. The government issued no clarification on the operation of grocery and provision shops. All employees in the private sector, banks and insurance companies have been advised to work from home.

Though infections have come down, it is still not under control in the state. Medical and healthcare experts had suggested two weeks of complete lockdown without any relaxations, Stalin said at the meeting.