New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday (September 30, 2020) issued new guidelines for opening up of more activities in areas outside the COVID-19 containment zones and allowed the cinema halls, theatres, multiplexes, entertainment parks and similar places to reopen from October 15.

The cinema halls, theatres, multiplexes, entertainment parks and similar places will resume operations after almost 7 months of halt, but with following guidelines to contain the coronavirus: 

1. Cinemas, theatres and multiplexes will be permitted to open with up to 50% of their seating capacity, for which, SOP will be issued by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting shortly.

2. Business to Business (B2B) Exhibitions will be permitted to open, for which, SOP will be issued by the Department of Commerce in the coming days.

3. Swimming pools being used for training of sportspersons will also be permitted to open, for which the standard operating procedure (SOP) will be issued by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MoYA&S). 

4. Entertainment parks and similar places will be permitted to open, for which the SOP will be issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) in the near future.

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Notably, social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious, political functions and other congregations have already been permitted with a ceiling of 100 persons, outside containment zones only. 

But now, the State and UT Governments have been given the flexibility to permit such gatherings beyond the limit of 100 persons, outside coronavirus containment zones, after October 15, which will be subject to the following conditions:

1. In closed spaces, a maximum of 50% of the hall capacity will be allowed, with a ceiling of 200 persons. Wearing of face masks, maintaining social distancing, provision for thermal scanning and use of hand wash or sanitizer will be mandatory.

2. In open spaces, keeping the size of the ground and space in the view, and with strict observance of social distancing, the mandatory wearing of face masks, provision for thermal scanning and hand wash or sanitizer.

To ensure that such gatherings do not spread COVID-19, the State and UT Governments will issue detailed SOPs to regulate such gathering.

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