Gandhinagar, Jun 3 (IANS): The Gujarat government on Wednesday granted more relaxations for businesses in 36 major cities of the state, allowing them to operate from 9 am to 6 pm, instead of 3 pm as was decided earlier.

Announcing the decision, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said that the night curfew in these cities will be in place as usual.

The Gujarat government had imposed a night curfew in 36 major cities of the state from 9 pm to 6 am, while allowing all businesses, except essential and medical services, to function from 9 am to 3 pm.

The curbs on businesses was imposed from April end in view of the rising number of Covid cases in these cities.

But as the state is witnessing a drop in daily Covid cases and related deaths, Rupani on Wednesday announced that the curbs imposed in 36 major cities would be further lifted and businesses will be allowed to function from 9 am to 6 pm.

Rupani said the decision will come into effect from Thursday morning (June 4).

"The core committee has decided to lift the curbs on commercial activities further by three hours and now they will be allowed to carry on till 6 pm. Moreover, we have also allowed home delivery of food from hotels till 10 pm," Rupani said.

The relaxations will be allowed in the following cities -- Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamangar, Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Gandhinagar, Anand, Nadiad, Mehasana, Morbi, Dahod, Patan, Godhra, Bhuj, Gandhidham, Bharuch, Surendranagar, Amreli, Himmatnagar, Palanpur, Navsari, Valsad, Porbandar, Botad, Viramgam, Chotta Udepur, Gir-Somnath, Veraval, Deesa, Ankleshwar, Vapi, Modasa and Radhanpur.