Odisha announces weekend shutdown in all urban areas from April 24 - Know what's allowed, what's not

The Odisha government on Monday announced a weekend shutdown on Saturday and Sunday in all urban areas of the state, with effect from April 24, 2021 from 9 PM.

Night curfew shall continue to be imposed in the districts of Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Bolangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nowrangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri from 6 PM to 5 AM every day.

However, night curfew would continue to be in force in all urban areas of other districts, from 9 pm to 5 am.

"Along with night curfew, shutdown will be enforced on Saturdays and Sundays in all urban areas of the state," informed Special Relief Commissioner (SRC), Pradeep Jena, on Monday.

During the shutdown, all activities shall be closed except the following-

1. All medical establishments including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and medicine stores will remain open and movement of ambulances and all medical personnel will be allowed.

2. Movement of the district and municipal administration/police/fire services.

3. Central and state government officials on emergency duty.

4. Telecom services.

5. Petrol pumps.

6. LPG distribution, home delivery of cooking gas and associated facilities, associated personnel and vehicular movement.

7. Print and Electronic Media identified by Commissionerate/District Police.

8. Water Supply, sanitation and sewerage workers.

9. Electricity supply and distribution.

10. Movement of goods and goods carriers, whether loaded or unloaded.

11. Industrial establishments, factories and construction activities.

12. Agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, animal husbandry, veterinary services and allied activities, including procurement at mandis.

13. Service sector including IT/ITes, Hotel and Hospitality units, including the movement of staff and associated personnel.

14. Movement of rail and air traffic.

15. Road transport on highways, road movement of transiting vehicles.

16. Movement of public transport, private vehicles and taxis to and from airports, railway stations and bus terminal/stops/stands for facilitating the movement of passengers by air, rail and road.

17. Marriages and funerals with permission of the local authority.

18. ATMs and critical financial institutions like RBI, Clearing Houses.

19. Operations of airports, railways stations, bus terminals and their associated movement of personnel and activities.

20. Home delivery of food, groceries, vegetables and essential items restaurants and aggregators like Zomato and Swiggy.

21. Dhabas along national and state highways/major roads for takeaway only.

22. Milk boot and related activities.

23. Food and grocery stores such as Reliance Fresh, Big Bazaar, Chilika Fresh and others for home delivery only.

24. Newspaper hawkers between 5 am and 8 am only.

Meanwhile, Odisha on Monday reported the highest ever single-day rise in COVID-19 cases as 4,445 people tested positive, pushing the coastal state's tally to over 3.72 lakh.

Sundergarh, bordering Chhattisgarh, reported the highest 722 new cases. Khurda reported 587 cases, followed by Nuapada (437), Kalahandi (273), Cuttack (251) and Sambalpur (241). As many as 13 districts have reported over 100 cases.