Bhubaneswar, April 19: The Odisha government on Monday announced weekend shutdown in all urban areas across the state from this Saturday.

In the interest of public health and containment of spread of Covid-19 in the state, Weekend shutdown on Saturday and Sunday shall be imposed in all urban areas of the state with effect from April 24 (Saturday), the Special Relief Commissioner said.

During the weekend shutdown all activities shall be closed except the following:

 All medical establishments including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, including medicine stores, movement of Ambulance and all medical personnel are exempted from the restrictions.

 District and Municipal Administration/ police/ Fire Services are also exempted

Central & State Government officials on emergency duty , telecom services, petrol pumps ‘ LPG distribution, home delivery of cooking gas and associated facilities, associated personnel and vehicular movement are allowed to work.

Print and Electronic Media identified by Commissionerate/ District police

Other services exempted during the shutdown are:

 Water Supply, sanitation and sewerage workers  

Electricity supply and distribution

 Movement of goods and goods carriers, whether loaded or unloaded

 Industrial establishments, factories and construction activities

 Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Veteriqary Seruices and allied activities, including procurement at Mandis

 Service sector industries, including IT/ ITeS, Hotel & Hospitality units

Operation of hotels and hospitality units, including their associated offices, movement of staff and associated personnel

Movement of rail and air transport, Road transport on highways, road movement of transiting vehicles

Movement of Public Transpott, private vehicles and taxis (including cabs by aggregators like Ola, Uber, etc.) to and from airports, railway station and bus terminals/ stands/ltops, for facilitating movement of passengers by air, rail and road

Marriages and Funerals, with permission of local authority

 ATMs and critical financial institutions like RBI, clearing Houses

 Operations of Airpofts, Railway Stations, Bus Terminals and their associated offices, movement of associated personnel and activities

Home Delivery of food, groceries, vegetables and essential items by restaurants and aggregators such as Zomato, Swiggy, etc.

 Dhabas along National and State Highways/ Major roads for takeaway only

Milk booths and related activities, Food & Grocery stores such as Reliance Fresh, Big Bazaar, Chilika Fresh and others for home delivery only

 Newspaper hawkers between 5.00 am to 8.00 am only.