With the pressure on E-commerce stores beginning to ease, India’s small and medium businesses in almost every industry should see an increase in activity. Although the government had allowed E-commerce stores to continue delivery, only essential items were allowed to be moved, and the delivery of all other products withheld.

However, the lack of clarity of what “essential goods” mean resulted in the police stopping workers and trucks carrying raw material and essential items.

The Third Extension

The third extension of the lockdown brings with it some relaxations, but they don’t come without their bounds.

The first move that brought a great deal of sophistication to India’s lockdown exit strategy is the division of the country into zones.

Each district is categorized into one of three zones: red zones, orange zones, and green zones.

The red zones are where the risk of mass infections is highest. Orange zones are the areas with a moderate risk of mass infections, and the green zones are considered the safest.

Since this division gives us a rough heatmap of the probability of infections, it paves a clear path for the government to pose restrictions or relax them as they see fit.

What’s Not Allowed At All

• Traveling between states by road, rail, metro, and air is prohibited.
• Schools, colleges, and training and coaching institutions must remain closed.
• Hotels and restaurants must remain closed.
• Malls, cinema halls, gymnasiums, sports complexes, and other places of public gathering must remain shut.
• Social, cultural, political, and all other types of gatherings are prohibited.
• Places of worship must remain closed.
• Movement of people above the age of 65 and children under the age of 10 is strictly prohibited. Pregnant women and people with co-morbidities must also stay home.

However, for select purposes, and purposes permitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, movement by rail, road, and air will be allowed.

Red Zone Restrictions And Relaxations

• Hospitals and medical clinics must remain shut in containment zones; OPDs outside of containment zones are permitted to function.
• Movement of individuals only allowed for permitted activities. Pillion riding is prohibited for two-wheelers, and four-wheeler vehicles can only have two persons besides the driver.
• eCommerce activity is limited to essential goods.
• Private offices may only operate with 33% strength.
• Government offices must function with senior officials present at full strength. Up to 33% of the remaining staff is permitted to be present, as per requirements.
• Barbershops must remain closed.

Banks, NBFCs, public utility offices, standalone shops may function. Additionally, manufacturing, agricultural, and animal husbandry activities may continue as long as safety guidelines are followed.

Orange Zone Restrictions And Relaxations

Orange zones don’t see a lot of relaxations, but in addition to all of the activities permitted in red zones:

• Taxis and autos are allowed to move, but with only one passenger.
• Liquor and paan shops may operate as long as they comply with safety guidelines.
• eCommerce businesses can operate without restrictions.

Green Zone Restrictions And Relaxations

Green zones comprise of districts that have no positive cases, and therefore, all activities are permitted, except those prohibited across the country.

• Buses can operate with up to 50% seating, and bus depots can also operate at 50% capacity.
• Transport of all kinds of goods is permitted, and no state or UT shall stop the movement of cargo across the border of the country for land-border trade.
• eCommerce is allowed to operate without restrictions – non-essential items can be delivered.
• Sale of liquor and tobacco products is permitted, but social distancing must be maintained.

What Does This Mean For You And Us?

Since E-commerce businesses can now operate in orange and green zones, we can resume deliveries of products in these zones.

E-commerce firms are facilitating delivery of essential and non-essentials across orange and green zones. In red zone pin codes pick up of essentials and non-essentials will done only if they are outside a containment zone and the pickup warehouse is permitted to open and only essential product deliveries will be done.

Here are the list of Serviceable PIN code(s) for our customers in India –  Download

With a glimpse at India’s chances of a full recovery, we are optimistic that Hempistani should be back to business and operating at full capacity sooner than later.