Chandigarh: The Punjab government said that the lockdown will now remain in force only on Sundays in all 167 municipal towns of the state till September 30.

There will be no lockdown on Saturdays.

Punjab governmentA spokesperson for the Punjab government said Chief Minister Amarinder Singh directed the relaxation of some of the lockdown restrictions in urban areas after reviewing the Covid-19 situation in the state.

He said the movement of individuals for all non-essential activities would remain prohibited between 9:30 pm to 5:00 am within municipal limits of all cities of Punjab throughout the week.

Essential activities and services such as the movement of persons and goods on national and state highways, inter-state and intra-state movements, unloading of cargo and travel of persons to their destinations after disembarking from buses, trains and aeroplanes, however, would be permitted.

Capt Amarinder The spokesperson added that essential services related to health, agriculture and linked activities, dairying and fishery activities, banks, ATMs etc would also be permitted.

Shops or malls, except those dealing in essential commodities, would be allowed to remain open till 9 p.m. from Monday to Saturday but would be closed in all cities on Sunday.

Shops dealing in essentials would be open even on Sundays till 9 pm.

LockdownThe existing restrictions on passengers in vehicles would also continue to remain in force, with only three persons including a driver to be allowed in a 4-wheeler vehicle, and all buses and public transport vehicles to allow passengers only up to 50 per cent of their seating capacity with no person standing.

Ban all social, political, religious gatherings, protests, and demonstrations will continue to remain in force throughout the state while gatherings relating to marriage and funerals shall be allowed only for 30 persons and 20 persons respectively.