Lockdown 5.0: Religious shrines may be allowed to open from June 1

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi may usher in Lockdown 5.0 from June 1 in his "Mann ki Baat" radio address to the nation on Sunday. However, the lockdown may be confined to 11 cities with 70% coronavirus cases, even as restrictions are eased in other parts of the country. According to indiatoday.in news website, these 11 cities are Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Thane, Indore, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Surat and Kolkata.

The most-affected cities that have contributed 60 per cent of the total 1.51 lakh confirmed coronavirus cases in the country so far are Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Pune, and Chennai. The Centre had earlier prepared a list of 30 municipal corporations that are said to account for 80 per cent of the country's total coronavirus cases, but their number is being pruned to 11 cities for strict enforcement of the lockdown. The PM's address is expected hours before end of Lockdown 4.0 at midnight on May 31.

The website said religious places may be allowed to open in Lockdown 5.0 with certain conditions that will prohibit hosting of fairs and festivals and mass congregations. Wearing mask and social distancing will also be made mandatory in religious places. The Karnataka government had written a letter to the PMO recently pleading for reopening of all religious places from June 1.

Muslims could not offer the Eid Namaaz in mosques on Monday because of the ban. Salons were allowed to reopen in Lockdown 4.0; this time, gyms may be allowed to be open in all zones, except containment areas. However, no educational institutes will be allowed to open, including schools and colleges. Malls and cinema halls are also likely to remain shut.