Letter No. 16208/D.M.(II)/2020-1, Madurai COVID-19 Lockdown Instructions

What the letter governed

Letter No. 16208/D.M.(II)/2020-1 of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Disaster Management Wing, D.M.II Section, governed COVID-19 lockdown arrangements in Madurai District. It applied to Madurai Corporation, Paravai Town Panchayat, and all village panchayats in the Madurai East, Madurai West and Thiruparankundram Blocks.

The complete lockdown in these areas continued until 24:00 hours on 14 July 2020. From 00:00 hours on 15 July 2020, earlier curfew conditions resumed with specified restrictions and relaxations until 24:00 hours on 31 July 2020.

Activities permitted from 15 July 2020

The Revenue and Disaster Management Department permitted the following activities in Madurai District:

• Industries and export-oriented units could operate with all employees.
• Information technology and information technology enabled services could operate at full strength, with at least 20 per cent working from home.
• Private offices could operate at full strength, while encouraging work from home where possible.
• Large shops outside shopping malls could use 50 per cent staff, without air conditioning, and admit no more than five customers at a time.
• Tea shops, restaurants, vegetable shops and provision shops could open from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm. Other shops, including Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation liquor shops, could open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm.
• Restaurants and tea shops could provide seating at 50 per cent capacity, subject to social distancing. Restaurants could not use air conditioning.
• Delivery of all goods through e-commerce was allowed.
• Taxis could carry up to three passengers, excluding the driver. Autos could carry two passengers, excluding the driver.
• Fish, chicken, meat and egg shops could operate with social distancing.

Activities that remained prohibited

Letter No. 16208/D.M.(II)/2020-1 kept shopping malls, educational institutions, cinemas, gyms, swimming pools, bars, auditoriums and most hospitality services closed. Public transport within and between districts and states remained prohibited, along with large social, political, sporting, cultural, academic and religious gatherings.

Relevance to property owners and buyers

Letter No. 16208/D.M.(II)/2020-1 did not change land ownership, patta, registration or development rules. Its relevance was limited to temporary restrictions on offices, shops, transport, gatherings and access to commercial or public premises during the stated lockdown period.

Complete lockdown without relaxation was also required on 19 July and 26 July 2020. Only milk distribution, hospitals, pharmaceutical shops, specified medical vehicles and emergency private vehicle travel were permitted during those Sunday lockdowns.