Jharkhand extended the ongoing partial lockdown to June 24 along with a slew of fresh relaxations on Tuesday, but there will be a total lockdon across the state during the coming weekend from 4am, Saturday, June 19 to 6am, Monday, June 21.

Under the new rules, malls and departmental stores will be allowed to reopen and private & public offices can function with 50 per cent attendance. All other existing curbs, announced earlier, will continue to be in force, according to a statement issued by the state IPRD department. These decisions were announced after a meeting of the state disaster management authority under the aegis of chief minister Hemant Soren in the afternoon.

On the weekend lockdown, the official communiqué read, “It will be in force from Saturday 4pm (June 19) to Monday 6am (June 21) during which all kinds of business entities, including vegetables and fruit shops, will remain closed. Only medicine and milk shops will be allowed to run.”

The ongoing phase of the partial lockdown, called health safety week, was to end at 6am on Thursday, June 17.

State health minister Banna Gupta told reporters after the meeting that the government was treading cautiously whie plnning to "unlock" considering the current Covid situation. “Cases are dipping but the key is to ensure they don’t peak again. We are also evaluating the situation amid fears of a third wave. All attempts are being made to streamline life and livelihood with great caution,” he said.

All shops will be able to function till 4pm. As per the state government's earlier announcement, shops were allowed to reopen everywhere except in East Singbhum (Jamshedpur) where garment, footwear and jewellery outlets were asked to stay shut due to Covid cases. “However, even in East Singhbhum, all kinds of shops can function till 4pm now from June 17,” said Gupta. Similarly, offices can also function till 4pm with 50 per cent attendance.

Bus services will continue to remain closed. Educational institutions, cinema halls, parks, clubs, banquets, stadiums and gymnasiums will remain out of bounds for the public. Gathering of more than five persons at public places is banned, and driving within districts in private vehicles will require e-passes. All incoming travelers to the state will need to be in seven-day home quarantine except in certain cases.