New Delhi, June 8: Malls, restaurants and places of worship are now officially permitted to resume operations today as the government's UNLOCK 1.0 guidelines kick in. The reopenings come just a day after India recorded a new daily high in infection numbers of 10,700, with the country's total number of cases surging past the 250,000 mark.

 

 

However, given the daily infection rates within the country that continue to grow at an accelerating rate, there is an overarching sentiment of uncertainty and caution accompanying the restart. The central government is keen to restart the Indian economy and offer some respite to the retail and restaurant industries, both of which have faced the full effect of the pandemic, and the lockdown measures that followed. Maharashtra, India's worst affected state, has now surpassed China in terms of total infected.

 

The government has issued SOPs for restaurants and malls focussed on preserving social distancing protocols, and high levels of hygiene, but for many retailers and eateries, there is worry over how it may affect their turnovers. The Health Ministry has also issued guidelines to be followed at places of worship that include social distancing of at least six feet when queuing, and the mandatory use of face masks at all times.

 

Meanwhile, concerns over how these protocols will be enforced remain. Punjab, for instance, has already introduced additional rules that disallow more than 20 people entering the places of worship at any point in time. The distribution of prasad and langam has also been banned.