KATHMANDU: After three weeks of strict lockdown imposed in the Kathmandu Valley, local authorities have decided to reopen some of the services and activities from Thursday.
Earlier on August 18, the Chief district officers (CDOs) of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur have issued separate prohibitory orders imposing a lockdown in the Kathmandu Valley as part of containment efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown that was extended three times already was set to expire at midnight on Wednesday.
However, the local authorities in the Valley on Wednesday decided to extend the lockdown with some relaxations. The relaxations come in the wake of widespread criticisms of ‘onerous’ prohibitory orders that have caused the losses of income and livelihood for millions of people as economic activities have come to a grinding halt. The authorities have decided to ease the lockdown amid warning from private sector leaders that they would defy the prohibitory orders to resume their businesses.
According to the prohibitory orders that extend the lockdown in the Kathmandu Valley until midnight of September 16, nearly a dozen services, activities or businesses will be allowed to resume. However, the lockdown extended by the local authorities in the Kathmandu Valley for the fourth time will provide a respite for public transportation, departmental stores along with many other businesses which have been closed for the past three weeks.
These are the services, businesses and activities that will reopen from today:
-Public buses or vehicles with a capacity up to 16 seats, cabs, private vehicles (including motorcycle and scooter) will be allowed to operate on odd and even number plate basis
-Stores and businesses selling/supplying essential goods and services and medicines will be allowed to operate anytime
-Stores and businesses selling/supplying essential commodities like food, milk, dairy products, fruits, vegetables and meats will be allowed to open until 11 am and between 5 pm and 7 pm.
-Shops and businesses selling and supplying materials for the construction and development projects in the Kathmandu Valley will be allowed to operate between 2 pm and 7 pm
-Takeaway and online delivery services will be allowed to operate between 2 pm and 7 pm
-Cooperatives to be allowed to open between 12 noon and 7 pm
-Shopping mall, fancy stories, garment shops, footwear shops, cosmetic shops will be allowed to open only on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday
-Shops selling kitchen and home appliances will be allowed to open only on Sunday, Tuesday and Friday
-Furniture and automobiles related businesses will be allowed to open on Monday and Wednesday
10- Footpath shops, cart businesses, stationery shops, electric shops and departmental stores will be allowed to open until 11 am and between 4 pm and 7 pm
-Auto and motorbike servicing and repairing workshops will be allowed to open between 8 am and 8 pm
-Online classes will be allowed to resume
