Gujarat govt extends night curfew in eight cities till 1 August

Ahmedabad: Coronavirus-induced night curfew was on Friday extended in eight cities in Gujarat for 12 more days, while water parks and swimming pools were allowed to operate at 60 percent capacity from 20 July provided their staff receive at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by 31 July, an official said. Curfew between 10 pm and 6 am, which was in force till 20 July in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, Surat, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Gandhinagar and Junagadh, has now been extended till the morning of 1 August, a state government release said. “Owners, managers and staff of water parks will have to get inoculated with the first dose by 31 July,” it said. An official said non-AC private and public transport buses can operate at 100 percent capacity and AC buses at 75 percent capacity from 20 July, and it will be mandatory for drivers and conductors to take the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. A release also said hotels, resorts-restaurants and water parks in the state have been exempted from fixed electricity charges for a period of one year as per an announcement made by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on 7 June, and such entities will have to pay only for actual consumption.