Chief district officers of the Kathmandu Valley have made the prohibitory orders, in place since April 29, more stringent as the daily number of coronavirus infections continue to rise.

New orders issued Tuesday will be effective from Thursday until May 12.

More restrictions have been placed on people’s movement and use of vehicles on the roads. The opening hours of shops selling foodstuff have also been curtailed.

The country recorded its highest number of cases on Tuesday with 7,587 new cases and also the highest ever single-day toll with 55 deaths. Of these Kathmandu Valley alone had more than half of the new cases with 3,893 in the past 24 hours.

This is the third consecutive day the country reported the count exceeding 7,000 mark.

“We have decided to put restrictions on the movement of people on foot and have scrapped the system of issuing passes for vehicles to ensure that people don’t come out of their homes unnecessarily,” said Lalit Basnet, assistant chief district officer of Lalitpur.

According to statements of the district administration offices of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, people are asked not to leave their homes unless it is to buy medicines, food and other essential goods and services.

The three district administration offices have scrapped the vehicle passes issued earlier.

Conditions under which different sectors can operate vehicles have been spelt out according to separate notices published by the district administration offices of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur.

Vehicles of diplomatic plates do not need passes if the staff they are carrying have identity cards issued by their offices.

Journalists have to show press passes issued by the Department of Information. In case of those without such accreditation, media houses can deploy a limited number of journalists and media persons and the particulars must be submitted to the respective district administration offices.

Staff of printing presses, security workers and those involved in medicine supply do not need vehicle passes if they are carrying permits from the concerned agency or supplier.

Vehicles carrying food supplies can operate only up to 10am.

Banks and financial institutions can issue a limited number of vehicle passes, the particulars of which have to be submitted to Nepal Rastra Bank and respective district administration offices.

Government vehicles need passes issued by the secretary of the concerned ministry or the divisional chief.

Vehicles carrying construction materials can operate only between 10pm and 4am.

Banks and financial institutions are allowed to open only 25 percent of their branches in Kathmandu Valley while their head offices should run with only 20 percent of their total personnel strength.

Other than those providing essential services, government offices should operate with one-fourth of its staff.

As per the new provisions, shops selling essential foodstuffs can open only until 9 am in the morning. They cannot open in the evening.

Earlier they were allowed to open till 10am and from 5pm to 7pm.

District administration offices will facilitate people who wish to leave Valley for their hometown in coordination with their concerned local governments.

“If the local levels take the responsibility to ensure that the person will remain in quarantine for 10 days we will facilitate them to leave the Valley,” said Basnet. “But the concerned authorities of the wards must ensure that.”