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HP Govt’s Corona Curfew Guidelines: Read What’s Allowed, What’s Not
Shimla-A corona curfew was imposed in Himachal Pradesh as the number of daily COVID-19 cases and fatalities continue to spiral upwards. Yesterday, the state had reported 3842 cases and 32 fatalities, according to the statistics of the state health department.
The annual examination of 10th standard of Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education was cancelled. It was decided that all the students would be promoted to 11th class by the Board as per the norms suggested by CBSE for its students for the 10th standard examination. It was also decided that 12th standard examination of Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education and annual examination of colleges would also remain suspended till further orders.
Corona curfew would remain in force in Himachal Pradesh with effect from 6 AM of 7th of May,2021 to 6 AM of 17th May 2021. The corona curfew, however, would be different from a complete lockdown in many ways.
During this period, depending upon availability, vaccination would continue in places as notified by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Himachal Pradesh from time to time. Eligible people as advised by the department will be allowed to travel to the designated CVCs in their vehicles /taxis/auto-rickshaws by following guidelines.
HP Government has notified the new standard operating procedures (SOPs) which are as given below (unedited):
- People desirous of / required to undertake testing for Covid-19 shall be allowed to travel to designated Government / Private Covid-19 Testing Centre in their vehicles /taxis /auto-rickshaws by following guidelines to that effect.
- During the curfew period, assembly of more than 5 people shall be treated as unlawful.
- However, a maximum of 20 people only will be allowed in gatherings related to marriages /funerals with permission of the District Administration.
- Government and Private offices/establishments shall remain closed. Government employees will work from home a shall not leave their headquarters without permission.
- All educational, training, coaching institutions, etc. shall now remain closed until 31st May 2021. However, MBBS(4TH and 5th year), BDS (4th year), Nursing classes(3rd year) only will continue. Physical conduct of the examinations by State/ national/ International bodies shall be allowed on a case to case basis by the respective Departments with due intimation to all concerned authorities.
- All cinema halls, malls, market complexes/ Bazar/ gyms/ sports complexes swimming pools/ entertainment parks/ theatres/ auditoriums/ assembly halls and related activities and similar places shall remain closed.
- Liquor shops /vends, ahatas, bars will remain closed.
During the corona curfew, the following activities are allowed:
- All health services (including AYUSH) to remain functional, such as:
- Hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, telemedicine facilities
- Dispensaries, Chemists, pharmacies, all kinds of medicines hops including Jan Aushadhi Kendras and medical equipment shops.
- Medical laboratories and collection centres
- Pharmaceutical and medical research labs, institutions carrying out COVID-19 related research
- Veterinary Hospitals, dispensaries, clinics, pathology labs, sale and supply of vaccine and medicine
- Authorized private establishments, which support the provisioning of essential services, or efforts for containment of COVID-19, including home care providers, diagnostics, supply chain firms serving hospitals
- Manufacturing units of drugs, pharmaceutical, medical devices, medical oxygen, their packaging material, raw material and Intermediaries.
- Construction of medical/health infrastructure including the manufacture of ambulances
Financial sector: following to remain functional:
- Bank branches and ATMs, IT vendors for banking operations. Banking correspondents (BCs), ATM operators and cash management agencies.
- Insurance companies
- Non-Banking Financial Institutions (NBFCs) including Housing finance company (HFCs) and Micro Finance Institutions (NBFC-MFIs) with bare minimum staff.
Co-operative Credit Societies
Efforts should be made to operate with minimum staff and they should be encouraged to Work from Home wherever possible and feasible.
Public Utilities
- Operations of oil and gas sector, including transportation, distribution, storage, retail of products, for example, petrol, diesel, kerosene, LPG etc.
- Generation, transmission and distribution of power at the state level.
- Postal services, including post office
- Operations of Utilities in water, sanitation, and waste management sectors, at municipal/local levels in the state
- Operation of Utilities, including the movement of vehicles and personnel, providing telecommunications, DTH and internet services, including maintenance of telecom towers and recharge facilities for prepaid mobile connections.
Commercial and private establishments as listed below
- Ration shops, including PDS and neighbourhood/roadside/street corner shops, dealing with food, groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, meat and fish, animal feed and fodder, fertilizers and pesticides including their transportation, warehousing, and related activities. These establishments shall follow all Covid-19 safety procedures and shall mandatorily close by 6 PM
- Hotel, restaurant and dhabha shall operate as per already issued SOPs by Department of tourism
- Home delivery by operators/online delivery of all goods/services by e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Blue Dart, DTDC,
- Myntra etc.
- Retailers of food and grocery items shall also be allowed to provide home delivery services
- Print and electronic and social media
- Telecom, internet services, broadcasting and cable services/DTH and optical fibre
- Petrol pumps, LPG, petroleum and gas retail and storage outlets.
- Power generation, transmission, and distribution units and Services
- Government-approved common service Centers at Gram panchayat level
- Cold storage and warehousing services.
- Private security services and facilities management services for maintenance and upkeep of office and residential complexes.
- Establishments used/ earmarked for quarantine facilities
- Shops dealing in construction equipment and supplies such as cement, iron, chips etc
Transportation
- Inter-state and intrastate movement of Public transport shall continue with occupancy restricted at 50% and subject to SOPs issued by Transport Department.
- Passengers travelling to the state by air, bus or railway shall register on the e-pass portal of the HP Government before the commencement of the journey.
- Movement, loading/unloading of goods/cargo(inter and intra) including transportation of all goods is allowed.
- All goods carriers whether loaded or unloaded
- Member of print and electronic media with valid ID cards shall be allowed to move in vehicles as per SOPs and covid protocols.
- All vehicles belonging to Government/local bodies or authorized organizations involved in essential services, emergency and COVID-19 Management Shall be allowed to play.
- Inter and intrastate movement of goods/cargo for inland and exports.
- Transportation for all medical personnel, nurse, paramedics staff and other hospital support services.
- Private vehicles subject to a limit of 50% occupancy with COVID appropriate behaviour and protocols shall be allowed for emergent reasons,
- All agricultural, horticultural, animal husbandry and related activities to remain fully functional.
- Farming operations by farmers and farm workers in the field(sowing, nursery preparation, land preparation, irrigation, planting, harvesting, threshing, processing and packaging etc.
- Any other activities related to agriculture, horticulture, floriculture like procurer distribution, packaging, warehouse, mantis, cold storage, shops dealing with agricultural machinery and its spare parts, fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides etc.
- Collection, processing, distribution and sale of milk and milk products by processing plants including transportation and supply chain.
- Operation of animal husbandry farm including poultry farms and hatcheries, fisheries and livestock farming activities.
- Industries/Industrial establishments both government and private sector
- All Industries operating in both urban and rural areas with strict adherence to SOPs and COVID-19 safety protocols.
- The Deputy Commissioners shall monitor the SOPs which are to be strictly followed by the industries in their operations. The head of the Industrial Unit/Corporate office shall regularly brief the DC in this regard.
- Construction Activities will be allowed in both government and private sector
- All construction activities, contract works at sites along with the associated movement of vehicle/labour in this regard.
- The SOP is to be followed in the government as well as private construction sites and movement of personnel vehicles to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- Offices of the Gov’t of India, its autonomous/subordinate offices will remain open, as mentioned below:
- Defense Forces, Central Armed Police Forces, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Disaster Management and early warning agencies(IMD, SASE, CWC), Airport Authorities of India, Railways, National informatics Centre(NIC), Food Corporation of India(FCI), NCC & Nehru Yuva Kendra(NYKs) any other central Government office engaged in essential services or assisting in the management of COVID-19 at minimum capacity and shall encourage work from home.
Offices of state government, its autonomous bodies and governments will remain open as mentioned below.
- Police, Homeguards, civil defence, fire and emergency services, disaster management, prisons, municipal services along with offices dealing with essential services remain open and will function without any restrictions. Further HPPWD and Jal shakti department shall function with minimum staff following covid protocols.
- District administration and treasury (including field offices of Accountant General) will function with restricted staff, however, delivery of public services shall be ensured and necessary staff will be deployed for such purpose.
- Forest offices, staff/ workers required to operate and maintain zoo, nursery, wildlife, fire fighting in the forest, water in plantation, patrolling and their necessary transportation movement. The Forest office include forestry plantation and related activities, including the Silviculture
- All other Departments of state government shall remain close during the lockdown period.
- People with disabilities, pregnant and lactating women, the person with comorbidities shall work from home.
Offices of the Private/ Civil society sector:
To encourage work from home for their staff.
General guidelines:
- Face coverings/masks compulsory
- Physical distancing must
- Spitting punishable
- Safety and protection of vulnerable people
Following people are advised against outdoor movement:
- Lactating and pregnant women
- Children below 10
- Seniors above 65
- People with comorbidities.
Solan—In a shocking incident on Monday, an 18-year-old youth, Pravesh, survived a vicious leopard attack in Sarli village of Arki subdivision. The teenager reportedly fought the leopard for nearly 12 minutes before breaking its jaw, killing the animal on the spot.
Quick Thinking Saved His Life
Pravesh told the media that he was walking from the fields to a nearby shop in the morning to fetch milk when the leopard, hidden in the crops, lunged at him. Noticing the leopard’s tail, he attempted to run but fell after a short distance. During the attack, he covered his neck with his hands to protect himself from fatal bites.
The teenager continued to struggle with the leopard, repeatedly attempting to put distance between himself and the predator. In a desperate move, he grabbed the leopard by its mouth, twisted its jaw, and broke it, killing the animal instantly. Pravesh sustained multiple injuries, including deep claw marks, and is currently receiving treatment at Arki Hospital. Police and forest department teams have launched an investigation into the incident.
Serious Allegations of HP Forest Department’s Negligence
One of Pravesh’s relatives accused the forest department of negligence, noting that similar attacks had occurred in the area previously.
Earlier, a leopard had attempted to attack a scooter rider, who managed to escape. The family said they had informed the forest department on March 6 about potential danger, but no concrete action was taken. Villagers waited for three hours for a forest team to arrive, but none came. When the Block Officer eventually visited, he reportedly told villagers to ensure their own safety. Requests for cages to capture the leopard were also denied, with officials asking for written complaints instead.
SHIMLA | 7 August 2025 –The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rainfall across Himachal Pradesh over the next two weeks, with isolated heavy to very heavy showers likely over the low hills, plains, and adjoining mid-hill regions. While the ongoing monsoon remains vital for agriculture, it also brings an elevated risk of localized flooding and landslides.
Week of August 8–14
Maximum temperatures will range from 22°C to 34°C, depending on elevation—22°C to 28°C in high hills, 26°C to 30°C in mid-hills, and up to 34°C in lower regions. Minimum temperatures are expected to remain near normal, between 12°C and 24°C. Cooler conditions may persist in districts like Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti.
Week of August 15–21
Similar rainfall patterns are expected to continue, with scattered heavy rain episodes. Temperature trends will remain stable, though slightly below-normal maximum temperatures are likely in parts of Lahaul-Spiti, Mandi, Kangra, and Kullu districts.
Outlook for Late August
Rainfall is expected to remain broadly normal, with region-specific variations. Districts such as Kinnaur, Shimla, and Sirmaur may see below-normal precipitation, while Una, Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, and Solan are likely to receive above-average rainfall. Both maximum and minimum temperatures are forecast to stay close to seasonal norms.
Officials at the Meteorological Centre in Shimla have urged residents and local authorities to remain alert for sudden heavy downpours, which could disrupt road connectivity and trigger landslides—especially along vulnerable hillside routes. Past monsoon episodes have blocked key highways, including routes between Mandi and Kullu and near Banjar, underscoring the ongoing challenges in the region.
This advisory comes as Himachal Pradesh continues to face the dual pressures of sustaining its agriculture-dependent economy while managing the life and infrastructure risks posed by an active monsoon. Continued vigilance and preparedness remain crucial.
SHIMLA | 7 August 2025 –Himachal Pradesh continues to deal with the impacts of the 2025 monsoon season, reporting extensive property damage, loss of lives, and widespread disruptions across the state. According to the official reports from the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), the Department of Revenue, and the India Meteorological Department, from June 20 to August 6, 2025, heavy monsoon rains caused significant damage across multiple districts:
- Casualties: 199 deaths due to landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, drowning, lightning, electrocution, and accidents; 304 injuries reported.
- Property Loss: Extensive damage to houses (both pucca and kaccha), shops, factories, labor sheds, animal shelters, and substantial crop losses in agriculture and horticulture.
- Public Infrastructure: Over ₹1,900 crore in damages to roads (including PWD), power supply, health, education, fisheries, rural and urban development, and animal husbandry.
Most affected districts include Mandi, Kangra, and Hamirpur, with severe crop and infrastructure losses.
Additionally, 91 deaths occurred due to monsoon-related road accidents.
Public Utilities and Infrastructure Disruptions
The SEOC report dated August 7, 2025, highlights ongoing disruptions:
- Roads Blocked: About 493 major roads and 3 national highways (NH-305, NH-21, NH-05) remain blocked by landslides and floods.
- Power Supply: Disruption of 1,120 distribution transformers (DTRs).
- Water Supply: 245 water schemes affected, threatening access to potable water for communities.
Key blockages include NH-21 between Mandi and Kullu and NH-305 near Banjar and Jhed.
Weather Forecast and Warnings
The India Meteorological Department’s forecast valid from August 7, 2025, includes:
- Isolated heavy rainfall expected throughout the week.
- Thunderstorms and lightning predicted in isolated areas.
- Minimum temperatures near normal or slightly below.
- Maximum temperatures showing a moderate increase.
The public is urged to remain vigilant due to the risks of further landslides and flash floods.
Himachal Pradesh remains vulnerable as the monsoon season continues, with thousands affected by damage, displacement, and disruption of essential services. Authorities are continuing with rescue and recovery operations and are urging residents to stay alert to the ongoing adverse weather. This situation highlights the pressing need for enhanced infrastructure and disaster management strategies to mitigate monsoon-related risks.
Himachal’s LPG Supply Hit Amid Global Tensions, Likely to Affect Hospitality Industry
Himachal Teen Survives 12-Minute Leopard Attack, Kills Predator in Self-Defense
Weather Forecast for Himachal Pradesh For the Next Two Weeks
Monsoon 2025: Himachal Pradesh Suffers 199 Casualties, Over ₹1,905.50 Cr in Damages
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