The lockdown was clamped on May 5 and was extended four times, the last being on June 2, to contain a record rise in Covid-19 infections within the state, which began in April and continued till May end.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar announced on Tuesday that shops and offices are going to be allowed to work for one extra hour from Wednesday and night curfew are going to be curtail by four hours within the second phase of Unlock in recognition of the state’s improving Covid-19 situation.
Kumar, who earlier within the day chaired a gathering of the crisis management group with ministers and senior officials of the state, said the relaxations will remain in effect till June 22.
“For subsequent one week, office timings are going to be till 5 pm, however, all government and personal offices will function with 50% of their strength,” Kumar said. Offices were allowed to function till 4 pm during Unlock 1, which was announced last week on June 8 after 35-days long lockdown within the state.
The lockdown was clamped on May 5 and was extended fourfold , the last being on June 2, to contain a record rise in Covid-19 infections within the state, which began in April and continued till May end, paralysing the healthcare system and resulting into deaths of many patients while the state struggled to reinforce number of beds, oxygen supply and essential medicines while containing black marketing of life saving drugs and equipment by unscrupulous elements.
The CM further stated that each one shops will now be allowed to work till 6 pm on alternate days and therefore the night curfew will now be effective between 8 pm and 5 am. During unlock 1, shops were allowed to open from 6 am till 5 pm on alternate days and therefore the night curfew was imposed from 5 pm till 6 am.
The relaxations come after the state reported only 324 new Covid cases on Monday and therefore the recovery rate rose to 98.01% with only 4,771 cases remaining active. The state also reported 13 Covid-19 deaths on Monday, taking the entire death tally to 9,505.
All education institutions and non secular places will however remain closed till further order.
