LOCKDOWN: Bengaluru which is among the worst affected by the new wave of covid-19 has imposed a severe lockdown where citizens can move out only during limited hours during the day and there is complete night curfew.
By Poulomi Ghosh
Except in Goa a partial lockdown has been imposed in all the major cities including Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru and the national capital Delhi. Malls and shops are either closed or only open during specified hours. In Bengaluru even parks and gardens have been closed, something which has affected joggers and fitness freaks. Goa is the only state which continues to permit people from the covid affected states to enter without a covid-19 negative certificate!
Apart from movement restrictions, state governments are suspending physical classes, making RT-PCR test report mandatory for incoming passengers in a bid to contain the spread of the infection.
With Covid-19 infections spreading at a faster rate this time than the last year, city-specific or district-specific lockdown-like situation is back in many states. Several states have closed schools, shopping malls, markets while some have imposed night lockdown, and some are observing weekend lockdowns — in an attempt to rein in spread of the infection. At present, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru — all are under restrictions. Most of these restriction will continue this month so that no crowding takes place on the festive occasions in this month
Here’s the list of cities under restrictions:
Delhi
Night curfew between 10pm and 5am has been put in place till April 30. However, pregnant women, patients, those travelling to and from airports, railway stations, state bus terminus on showing tickets, officials related to the functioning of offices of diplomats, and those holding any constitutional post on the production of valid identity card are exempt from the restrictions.
Mumbai
Mumbai, as other cities and districts in Maharashtra, is under a weekend lockdown and a night curfew during the weekdays.
Pune
Apart from Maharashtra’s restriction measures, the Pune Municipal Corporation has separately imposed some curbs in the city closing all markets and shops till April 30.
Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot
A curfew from 8pm to 6am in 20 cities in Gujarat will become effective from April 7 and will continue till April 30. The cities where the curfew is being imposed are Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamangar, Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Gandhinagar, Anand, Nadiad, Mehasana, Morbi, Dahod, Patan, Godhra, Bhuj, Gandhidham, Bharuch, Surendranagar and Amreli.
Bengaluru
Bengaluru police commissioner has prohibited rallies, demonstrations, public gathering, functions and group prayers to prevent the spread of the disease, as Bengaluru Urban is the only district of Karnataka in the list of the top 10 districts of the country with highest active Covid-19 cases. Swimming pools in the city have been ordered to be closed. Gyms, bars, clubs, restaurants will only function at 50 per cent occupancy.
Durg
Chhattisgarh’s Durg is under a nine-day strict lockdown, which began on April 6.
Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur
A total of 12 Madhya Pradesh districts, including Vidisha, Ujjain, Gwalior, Narsinghpur, Sausar, Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Khargone, Betul, Chhindwara and Ratlam, are under Sunday lockdown.
Sambalpur, Kalahandi
Ten districts of Odisha, including Sundergarh, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Koraput and Nabarangpur are under night curfew from 10pm to 5am.
Jaipur
From April 5 to 19, all cities and districts of Rajasthan are under a night curfew and several restrictions. Multiplexes and gymnasiums have been ordered to be closed. Physical classes of 1 to 9 have also been suspended. The night curfew will continue from 8pm to 6am.
Chandigarh
From April 7, Chandigarh will come under a night curfew from 10pm to 5am.
While a complete lockdown is the last resort to break the transmission chain of the infections, night curfews and Sunday lockdown are aimed at stopping the infection spread with minimum disruption to normal life.
Coutersy:www.hindustantimes,com