E-commerce companies can deliver essential and non-essential items to all places outside containment zones, the centre announced today as it extended the nationwide lockdown for a third time till May 31. E-commerce platforms were earlier allowed to deliver non-essential items in green and orange zones in the third phase of the lockdown.
Online sales will continue to be restricted in containment zones across the country, where only essential activities will be permitted. Containment zones will be strictly monitored, no movement of people will be allowed except for medical emergencies and maintaining supply of essential goods.
This move comes as a major boost to companies which were allowed to sell only essential goods since the lockdown began on March 25.
E-commerce giant Amazon had said it had seen the biggest impact of the COVID-19 spread on its business internationally in India. The US e-commerce giant that has a strong presence in the country had been facing a tough time due to the lockdown that has temporarily contracted its business to essential items such as groceries.
Except for the ones that are "specifically prohibited" all other activities will be allowed in the red, green, orange and buffer zones, the Centre said in an order today.
Salons, too, can now open in all zones except in containment zones, if states allow, the centre said in its order. However, salons in malls cannot reopen. In the third phase of the lockdown, barber shops and salons were also allowed to open in green and orange zones.
