The Sikkim government on Thursday decided to allow the opening of restaurants and fast food joints with certain restrictions as part of relaxation measures to revive the state’s economy.

All shops, including restaurants and fast food joints, will remain open from 8 am to 5 pm, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said in a Facebook post after presiding over a high-level meeting on the COVID-19 pandemic.

The state government has also given go-ahead to the inter-district movement of taxis and private vehicles by following the odd-even rule, he said.

According to the rule, first implemented in Delhi to regulate the movement of private cars in the wake of severe air pollution, vehicles with registration numbers ending with an odd digit will be allowed on the roads on odd dates and even-numbered vehicles on even dates.

The state government offices too will open with 30 per cent workforce, Tamang said, adding that all health protocols should be strictly followed.

The chief minister reiterated the state government’s resolve to bring back all Sikkimese people stranded in other parts of the country.

Sikkim has not reported any COVID-19 case so far.