Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami has, on Saturday, made a crucial announcement of resuming the months-long suspended services, and with the new announcement, the Chief Minister had poured major relaxations and permitted the resumption of theaters and educational institutions across the state. 

The relaxations have come two weeks ahead of the Diwali festival during which the state would typically witness large-scale gatherings and celebrations across its territory. With the announcement, theater owners are the major stakeholders to have a huge relief as the government had permitted to resume the theaters from November 10. Theaters are one of the areas which got majorly affected by the lockdown triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak. 

According to the press release issued by the Chief Minister, the lockdown that was imposed with various relaxations till October 31 has now been extended till November 30 with the existing relaxations and the fresh relaxations announced by the government on Saturday and the Chief Minister has said that the fresh relaxations have been announced with the view of reviving the economy and based on the COVID-19 outbreak. Except for the containment zones, the following services are permitted to resume across the state along with the existing relaxations. 

• Schools from classes 9 to 12, colleges, and all the research institutions will be permitted to re-open from November 16 based on the standard operating procedures. The hostels of schools and colleges and other residential hostels will be re-opened from November 16. 
• Chennai suburban trains will also be permitted to resume its services after seven months of suspension and the trains will be functioning based on the SOP from the Central government. 
• In what has become one of the significant relaxations, the government had permitted the resumption of theaters including the multiplexes in the shopping malls from November 10, 2020, and the theaters are mandated to operate with 50% of seating capacity and with the standard operating procedures. The theater managements are advised to create campaigns in preventing the spread and strictly adhere to the protocols and guidelines.
• The order of resuming the theaters won't apply to the containment zones and the resumption of the theaters has come after the theater owners demanded the government to re-open the theaters ahead of the festive season. 
• Religious, social, political, educational, and entertainment events are permitted to convene from November 16 with the standard operating procedures and each event can function with not more than a hundred people.
• Entertainment and Amusement Parks, Auditoriums, zoological parks, and museums are permitted to function from 10.11.2020 with the standard operating procedures. 
• Marriage and funerals are permitted to function with the SOPs and not more than the participation of a hundred people. With the existing relaxation of permitting people below 50 years to gymnasiums, the gyms are allowed to permit people below 60 years from November 1, 2020. 

General restrictions: 

• The containment zones across the state would have no relaxations and these zones would be under complete lockdown with existing restrictions and protocols. 

The following services will be banned until further orders:

• Swimming pools, beaches, and tourist spots will remain closed until further orders. 
• All the international flight services, except that are permitted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, will continue to be banned. 
• For people who are entering the state and for those who are traveling to the tourist spots line Ooty, Yercaud, and Kodaikanal, they must apply for e-registration with the government. 

Through the press release, the Chief Minister had appealed to the people to adhere to the government's guidelines in completely containing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and he had asked the people to avoid unnecessary gathering during the festive season and he also asked them to be more aware of the guidelines. By calling the people to wear face masks and observe social distancing at public places, the Chief Minister has requested the people to render their support and co-operation to the government in fighting the pandemic. 

The resumption of theaters and schools has become one of the crucial relaxations in the phases of gradually pulling out the state from the lockdown. The Center had already permitted to re-open the theaters and schools at the national level when it announced the fifth phase of the unlocking process. According to the Central government, schools are allowed to function from classes 9 to 12 and the students are asked to voluntarily go to school with the written consent from the parents. Along with the resumption of schools from classes 9 to 12, the state government has also permitted the resumption of colleges from November 16, 2020. The relaxations have come days after the Chief Minister tabled high-level meetings with the senior ministers, district collectors, and medical experts.