After staying under the nationwide lockdown for more than two months with deserted looks and eerie emptiness, the state of Tamil Nadu, through the fifth phase of the lockdown, has signaled that it has been preparing for the upliftment to revive the normal life and the broken economy amid soaring high COVID-19 cases. 

Although the lockdown has been extended till June 30, the state government has poured in major relaxations on the movements of people, transportation channels, and resumptions of various activities that remained closed in the preceding spells of the lockdown. The current lockdown is the fifth phase and has come into effect on Monday - June 1st. 

After roofing the districts under eight zones, the government has announced the resumption of the public buses. Apart from Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu districts, the government has resumed the public buses in the rest of the districts. The initial resumption of the bus services has permitted 50% of the buses to ply within the zones with 60% of seating capacity. 

By citing the surge in COVID-19 cases, the government hasn't resumed the bus services in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Thiruvallur, and Chengalpattu districts. Other districts had seen the resumption after two months and all the buses hit the road after getting sanitized and disinfected. People were allowed to board the bus only by wearing the masks and these government buses would only be plying within the zones and the passengers traveling within the zones aren't required to obtain the e-passes. However, people who are using their private vehicles must obtain the e-pass for carrying out inter-zone travels.

Along with relaxations for the on-road travels, the state has got four special passenger trains from the Indian Railways and the trains between Coimbatore-Katpadi and Madurai-Villupuram were operated on Monday as the initial phase of having a gradual exit from the lockdown. However, the public transportation channels hadn't been resumed in Chennai.

The sequel of soaring high cases has possessed a huge challenge for the state government in letting Chennai hit back to normalcy. The government has consented for the resumption of cabs, autos, taxis, and cycle-rickshaws in Chennai with restrictions. While cabs are permitted to ply with three passengers, apart from the driver, autos are permitted to carry two passengers, apart from the driver, in a ride.

The barbershops and salons have resumed the operations in the city from June 1st, apart from the containment zones, and can function without AC. Grocery and provisions can function from 6 am to 8 pm and tea shops and small hotels should provide parcels till June 7 and from June 8, these establishments can offer 50% dining facilities. In the albeit of the lockdown, the government has permitted to resume the operations of IT industries and companies supporting IT industries with 20% of workers or a maximum of 40 employees in the areas that fall under the limits of Greater Chennai police, except the containment zones.

However, the government has advised the companies to stick with the work from home policy and by allowing the resumptions of showrooms and shops, except shopping malls, across the state, the government has instructed that only five customers should be permitted in the shops to ensure that they follow social distancing norms as the state has been kickstarting its lifestyle with new normal, which would largely persist across the country. From staying under the survival mode for over two months, the state is rising for the revival mode by having Coronavirus, masks, social distancing, and economic challenge as part of its new normal and new lifestyle.

Must read: Lockdown 5.0: You must know these guidelines while traveling within TN!