NEW DELHI, Mar 29: As an unprecedented nationwide lockdown to combat COVID-19 entered its 5th day, the Government today eased some restrictions to allow transportation of all essential and non-essential goods.
In a letter to Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories, the Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said transportation of all goods, without distinction of essential and non-essential, have been allowed.
The Indian Railways also decided to run special parcel van trains to ensure uninterrupted flow of essential commodities.
The suspension of passenger trains from March 22 had also meant that parcel vans attached to them carrying perishable items, mostly daily essential needs like vegetables, dairy items and fish, had got suspended by default.
The resumption of special parcel van trains is also expected to help e-commerce companies who can now ferry their products on these vans.
The Home Secretary also made it clear that the newspaper delivery supply chain is allowed under exemptions given for print media.
Bhalla added that the entire supply chain of milk collection and distribution, including its packing material, has also been allowed during the lockdown period, along with groceries.
“Groceries, including hygiene products such as hand wash, soaps, disinfectants, body wash, shampoos, surface cleaners, detergents and tissue papers, toothpaste/oral care, sanitary pads and diapers, battery cells, chargers etc,” are permitted during the lockdown. (PTI)
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