With just a day ahead to hit the deadline of the current phase of unlocking the lockdown, the Central government has rolled out the fresh phase of unlocking, which would be the fourth phase of pulling out India from the lockdown that was imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19. The Ministry of Home Affairs has, on Saturday, released the fresh guidelines and regulations of how the country will sail through September and the ministry has poured more relaxations in the fresh phase. 

The fresh guidelines of 'Unlock 4' will be coming into effect from September 1, 2020. According to the guidelines that were released by the Union Home Secretary, the Home Ministry has instructed the state government not to impose any lockdown outside the containment zones without prior consultation from the Central government. The Home Ministry further pressed that there shall be no restriction on the inter and intra-state movements of people and goods. 

The guidelines said that no separate permission/ approval/ e-permit will be required for the inter and intra-state movements and this regulation has come amid some of the states had imposed tight restrictions in the movements by mandating the e-pass and approval and this has been considered as a major relaxation in the midst of growing COVID-19 cases. In other relaxations front, the Home Ministry had consented the resumption of metro rail services across the country from September 7. Notably, metro rails are getting on the track of operations in a graded manner after five months since the nationwide suspension. 

The Central government has also permitted social, entertainment, sports, cultural, religious, political functions, and other congregations with the limit of up to 100 persons and this relaxation would be taking effect from September 21, 2020. Earlier, these social and cultural events were banned indefinitely to avoid the mass gathering which would possibly spread the virus. While allowing such events, the Home Ministry had also spelled the protocols wherein people attending such limited gatherings would wear face masks, observe social distancing, and they should be given with a hand wash or sanitizer. 

Other relaxations front include the resumption of open-air theater across the country from September 21 and the Home Ministry has allowed the states and the Union Territories to permit up to 50% of teaching and non-teaching staff, outside containment zones, to be called to the schools at a time for online teaching and other related works and this applies to the schools that are outside the containment zones.

The Center hasn't allowed the resumption of schools, colleges, educational, and coachings institutions, and these establishments would continue to remain closed for students and regular class activity up to September 20. By encouraging online learning, the Home Ministry has however said that the students of classes 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit their schools outside the containment zones for taking guidance from their teachers and such students have to get written consent from their parents or guardians to visit their schools. 

On the restrictions front, apart from the open-air theaters, the rest of cinema halls, swimming pools, theaters, and entertainment parks will remain closed across the country until September 30 and the Central has also banned the International Air Travel of passengers except for the flights that are permitted by the Home Ministry. 

Unlock 4 will come into effect from September 1 and will remain in place till September 30. The Home Ministry said that the strict lockdown shall continue to be in place in the containment zones across the country till September 30 and only essential services will be allowed in the containment zones. The Home Ministry asserted that the new guidelines are based on the feedback received from the states and UTs and extensive consultations held with related central ministries and departments. 

According to the reports, the process of unlocking the lockdown had begun on June 1 and the Center had been pouring gradual relaxations and for the fourth phase, it has allowed the resumption of metro rail services, open-air theaters, cultural and entertainment events, and relaxations outside the containment zones.