Over 21,000 permits have been issued by the Maldives Police Service (MPS), over the course of the past 12 hours.

Commissioner of Police, Mohamed Hameed revealed that police service has generated and electronically delivered a total of 21,653 permits to various individuals from 1,927 business entities over the last 12 hours, as a measure of relaxing the lockdown across the Greater Malé Region.

This allow 11,826 more individuals to go out for economic activities, said Hameed.

Alongside permits being issued to businesses and for essential purposes, police have also been issuing permits for the elderly to go out between 5am to 8am for walks and physical exercises.

Individuals seeking to go out during the lockdown ease plan are required to apply for permits through the City Council’s portal.

The council revealed that they have been issuing 17 types of permits to businesses in the region, following the implementation of the lockdown ease plan on May 29.

Businesses are required to apply for permits through a platform on the city council’s website and that the police will issue the permits after the council’s approval, which will be based on whether the businesses meet the guidelines set by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

Businesses that are allowed to operate during phase one of the ease plan include supermarkets, bakeries, corner stores, bookshops and hardware stores.

During the lockdown period, individuals were given a one-hour period to go out for essentials and the protocols to operate services at local shops have also been amended. As such, shops will be open from 9am to 9pm.