Bhubaneswar: After 45 days, Odisha will begin the unlock process with a bigger window for business activities in 17 western and southern districts on Thursday.
Shops will remain open from 6 am to 5 pm in Sundragarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Kalahandi, Balangir, Nuapada, Sonepur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Boudh, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri and Rayagada. The positivity rate in the districts is 5 percent or less.
Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra informed that street vending for takeaways will be allowed only in these 17 districts.
In the remaining 13 coastal districts – Khurda, Puri, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Angul, Dhenkanal, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak and Keonjhar – shops for essential goods will open between 6 am and 1 pm. These districts have a higher positivity rate.
“Only restricted activities will be allowed,” he added.
Night curfew and weekend shutdown will continue in all districts of the state.
Also Read: Unlock Process To Begin In Odisha From Tomorrow; Partial Lockdown To Continue