TN extends lockdown till Dec 31; Chennai’s Marina beach to reopen

The Tamil Nadu government on Monday (November 30) extended the lockdown due to coronavirus till December 31 with several relaxations including reopening beaches in the state.

Beaches including Chennai’s Marina beach will be open to the public from December 14, according to a press release issued by the state government.

The government said that the classes for final year students of undergraduate programmes in colleges and universities in the state will resume from December 7. The hostels will also reopen on the same day.

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Also on December 7, classes for undergraduate and postgraduate students in medicine and medicine-related courses will resume. However, classes for first year students who have been admitted this year will begin on February 1, 2021, Chief Minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami announced.

“Swimming pools across Tamil Nadu can resume functioning only for sports training purposes. Public entry is not allowed. All beaches including Marina beach will be open to the public from December 14 based on the pandemic situation in the coming days. Tourist spots will be open from December 1 for the public to visit,” the government notification said.

Social, political, entertainment and religious gatherings will be allowed only in indoor premises with 50% capacity or with a maximum of 200 people. Prior permissions from relevant officials have to be obtained for such congregations. Based on the pandemic situation, a decision will be taken on outdoor congregations in the coming days, the state government said.

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Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had issued guidelines for “Surveillance, Containment and Caution” for December.

“States and UTs, based on their assessment of the situation, may impose local restrictions, with a view to contain the spread of COVID-19 such as night curfew. However, state and UT governments shall not impose any local lockdown (state/ district/ sub-division/City level), outside the containment zones, without prior consultation with the central government,” the guidelines said.