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Bengaluru, May 18: Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa today announced lockdown relaxations from tomorrow (May 19) across the state. As per new guidelines public transport services will start operations outside COVID-19 containment zones in the state. 

 “To facilitate easy movements of citizens, services of the BMTC, KSRTC, NEKRTC and NWKRTC will start from Tuesday morning, except in containment zones. Even private buses can ply,” Yediyurappa said, after discussing the Centre's Lockdown 4.0 guidelines with his Cabinet colleagues and officials. 

“The only condition is that only 30 people should travel in one bus so as to ensure social distancing,” the CM said. 

He also clarified that bus fares will not be hiked. “I know there will be losses incurred. The government will bear the losses,” he said. 

Auto rickshaws, taxis and maxi cabs (six-passenger vehicles) will also be allowed to operate. “Auto rickshaws and taxis will have a driver and two passengers. Maxi cabs will have a driver and three passengers,” Yediyurappa said. 

All parks in the state will be open 7 am to 9 am and 5 pm to 7 pm. 

Starting Tuesday, all shops except malls and theatres can open. “This includes salons,” the CM said. 

All relaxation will cease to exist every Sunday, the CM said. “Every Sunday will be a complete lockdown. There’ll be no shops and the movement of people. It’ll be a complete rest day,” he said. 

The existing curfew from 7 pm to 7 am will continue on all days, which means public transport services will not be allowed during this time. 

Trains will run within the state, but interstate trains will not be allowed till May 31, the CM said. 

It is mandatory for citizens to wear masks in public. “Not wearing a mask will be penalised,” Yediyurappa said. 

On the classification of zones, Yediyurappa said the government's main focus was containment zones. “We're particular about containment zones. In the Karwar district, for example, Bhatkal will be a containment zone and no other taluk will have restrictions,” he said. 

However, the government will review the relaxation based on how things pan out. “States have been given the freedom, so we can withdraw or modify as necessary,” he said.

Bengaluru, Jun 18: Two employees at a plant of Toyota Kirloskar Motor in Karnataka's Bidadi have tested positive for COVID-19, the automobile company said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to the auto major, the two employees had attended work on June 7 and 16 respectively.

"As a first step and through appropriate contact tracing, TKM has started identifying all those employees who may have had primary or secondary contact with the infected employees for necessary treatment and quarantine wherever necessary and is in contact with the local government authorities," the statement said.

Toyota Kirloskar Motors had restarted operations after weeks of nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus on May 26. It said that all necessary precautions were to maintain social distancing and all Central and state government directives were being followed.

"However, despite all such measures, two employees at TKM's Bidadi plant tested positive for COVID-19 on June 16th, 2020. Operations at TKM plant has already been temporarily suspended so that required disinfection can be carried out at the plant," the statement said.

"TKM has extended all necessary support to the infected employees for medical treatment as well as quarantine procedures. The company is in touch with the families of the infected employees so as to support them to handle this situation carefully without further complications," it added.