Cinema halls, multiplexes permitted to function with 25% capacity

JAMMU: The J&K government Sunday, providing further reprieve to the business bodies, allowed cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes to function with 25 percent capacity. However, this

relaxation would be subject to the condition that the management of theatres and multiplexes would ensure strict compliance of Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB). The new guidelines were

issued this evening in an order by Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta, who is also the chairperson State Executive Committee (SEC) of J&K Department of Disaster Management, Relief,

Rehabilitation and Reconstruction. On Saturday, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jammu (CCIJ) delegation in its meeting with the chief secretary had sought that the cinema halls should

be allowed with “50 percent capacity for those who were vaccinated twice”. Last week, the government partially acceding to the demand of the chamber enhanced the ceiling of maximum gathering

in banquet halls to 25 percent of the authorised capacity in districts with positivity rate below 0.2 and weekly case load below 250. However, the maximum number of people permitted to

attend any indoor or outdoor gathering would be strictly restricted to 25. Mehta also ordered that the protocol for 100 percent Covid-19 antigen testing of all incoming passengers by air or

rail would have to be adhered to in letter and spirit. However, status-quo was maintained with regard to most of other guidelines, including those related to the educational institutions and

night curfew. The schools, except for relaxations as provided for students of 12th and 10th classes, would continue to remain closed for onsite and in-person teaching.