Lockdown 5.0 in only 11 cities?

NEW DELHI, May 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi may announce Lockdown 5.0 from June 1 in his "Mann ki Baat" radio address to the nation on Sunday but limiting it to 11 cities with 70% coronavirus cases in India, while easing restrictions in other parts of the country, indiatoday.in news website reported on Wednesday.
These 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 has 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 reduced to 11 cities for strict enforcement of the lockdown besides stringent restrictions in the containment areas showing rise of the cases of the virus.
The PM's address comes hours before end of the Lockdown 4.0 at the midnight on May 31. The website said Modi will stress on the lockdown spirit in his radio address and also announce measures for easing restrictions in most parts of the country. It said the religious places may be allowed to be opened in Lockdown 5.0 with certain conditions that will prohibit religious events like fairs and festivals and mass congregations. Wearing mask and social distancing will also be made mandatory in the religious places.
The Karnataka government had written a letter to the PMO for reopening all religious places from June 1. Muslims could not offer the Eid Namaaz in the mosques on Monday because of the ban on opening of any religious places as mass congregation could have led to spread of the virus since the social distance would have gone for a toss if the large number of people come out to offer the prayers.