The Telangana government has decided to allow automobile showrooms, automobile spare part shops and shops selling air-conditioners to re-open across the state from Saturday.
The decision was taken on Friday at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao to take stock of the Covid-19 situation and review the ongoing lockdown measures.
Registration offices and Road Transport Authority (RTA) offices will also function across the state.
The remaining lockdown restrictions will continue as it is, said a statement from the Chief Minister's Office.
As the Centre is likely to announce new guidelines for lockdown 4.0, beginning from May 18, it was decided to examine them and review the situation before finalising the next strategy.
KCR, as Rao is popularly known, declared that except in four zones in Hyderabad, there are no active coronavirus cases in the state.
"Coronavirus in Telangana has limited itself to four zones in Hyderabad city. LB Nagar, Malakpet, Charminar, Karawan Zones have Corona active cases. There are 1,442 families in these areas," he said.
The Chief Minister said some migrant labourers in Yadadri Bhongir, Jangaon, and Mancherial have tested positive for the virus but not people from these districts. Hence, these districts cannot be counted as areas having positive cases.
"There is nothing to be scared about corona. A majority of people have been recovering from the virus. In Telangana state, the percentage of people who died due to Corona was only 2.38 per cent. This is less than the nation's average of 3.5 per cent. Hence there is no need to be fearful about corona. We don't know how long this virus will be with us. Hence we have to adapt a strategy to live with it and we have no option," KCR said.
"We have to be on alert about those visiting from abroad, those coming here by trains. Conduct tests for those coming to Hyderabad by flights. If they test positive for the virus, send them to the hospitals for quarantine. Otherwise put them in home quarantine. For those reaching Hyderabad by air to go to other states, put them in special buses and send them to their respective states from the airport itself," he said.
He asked the official conduct tests on the migrant labour reaching here by trains and send people from other states, to their respective states.
He also directed officials concerned to take precautionary measures to prevent seasonal diseases that may break out during the rainy season, while continuing the efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus in the state.
( With inputs from IANS )