Union information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar has laid out the standard operating procedures (SOP) for exhibiting filmd. The ministry of home affairs has allowed cinema halls to be reopened from 15 October.
All cinemas, theatres and multiplexes can operate to 50% of their seating capacity in areas outside containment zones from the mid-October.
Announced the Standard operating procedures, SOP's for cinema halls, multiplexes etc. for screening of films, as they reopen from 15th of October as per Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines.#UnlockWithPrecautions pic.twitter.com/X1XZFZoDAT
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) October 6, 2020
According to a release by the central government, state governments can include additional measures on the basis of their assessment of the situation. The guidelines prescribe physical distancing of up to six feet, mandatory face masks, sanitization at entry and exit points and installation of the Aarogya Setu app for employees and audience members.
Furthermore, according to the release, only asymptomatic individuals are allowed to enter cinema halls, and theatres should ensure enough time between screenings to ensure row-wise staggered entry and exit of the audience. A longer intermission time may be employed to allow audiences to leave and come back to the auditorium without crowding.
Multiplexes have also been asked to stagger show timings to avoid crowding, and digital no-contact transactions like online booking and e-wallets should be the preferred mode for payment for tickets, food and beverages. Audience members contact numbers will be also noted for the purpose of contact tracing.
The release stated that the entire premises of the theatres must be frequently sanitized and the auditorium should be sanitized after every screening. The staff should be provided with gloves, boots, masks, and PPE for the sanitization of the premises. High-risk employees should take extra precaution and try to work away from the public.
The air conditioning should be in the range of 24-30°C, and re-circulation of air should be avoided, the release said. Furthermore, only packaged food and beverages will be allowed, while food delivery inside the auditorium is strictly prohibited. Customers have also been encouraged to use apps and QR codes to order food and beverages wherever possible.
The government’s release stated that film exhibition is an important economic activity to the country’s GDP. It said: Given the current COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial that various stakeholders involved in activities of the exhibition of films take suitable measures to restrict the transmission of the pandemic, while at the same time resuming/conduction their operations and activities (sic).