After a gap of almost seven months, cinema halls and multiplexes reopened in several states amid strict obedience to the central government’s COVID-19 safety protocols. According to various reports, cinema halls with 50 per cent of their capacity re-opened in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Haryana from Thursday.

"We are encouraging paperless entry and digital payments at the ticket counter. One has to enter inside the movie theatre after thermal screening and a thorough sanitisation process. Masks and gloves are also being distributed to every person at the entry point before getting inside the auditorium," said Puneet Gupta, spokesperson for INOX Leisure Ltd in West Bengal.

Fifty per cent occupancy, staggered show timings, social distancing, thermal screening, adequate protection gears and mandatorily providing phone numbers for ‘contact tracing’ are some of the changes movie-goers will see.

As per guidelines, it is also compulsory to maintain a minimum of six feet distance between two persons in the common area, waiting area and entry point at the halls. Private security personnel have been positioned in adequate numbers to monitor the movements of movie lovers who will throng multiplexes.

The guidelines further reads, the temperature of the air conditioner should be set at 24-30 degrees Celsius. Also, there should be cross ventilation in the cinema halls. The screens should also be cleaned after every show and the protocol issued should be strictly followed by the cinema hall owners failing which action would be taken under relevant sections of IPC and Disaster Management Act.

THEATRES STILL CLOSED IN MANY STATES

Theatres and multiplexes remain closed in states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala and Chhattisgarh. Even cinema halls in northeastern states are shut as the states have not issued any guidelines yet.

(With inputs from IANS)