Administration to take decision at review meeting todayUT may extend lockdown with odd-even for shops

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, May 23

The UT Administration is expected to further extend the ongoing lockdown, but may allow non-essential shops to open. A review meeting in this regard is scheduled for tomorrow.

“The neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana have already imposed a lockdown till May-end. It is likely that we will also have a lockdown at least for one more week,” said a senior officer on condition of anonymity.

The shops may be allowed to open on an odd-even basis. Traders’ associations in the city have already been protesting against the closure of non-essential shops.

“Punjab and Haryana have opened non-essential shops; these must be allowed to open in the city as well. Traders are facing huge losses. They are yet to recover from the losses suffered last year. They won’t be able to sustain if the shops remain closed. At a meeting, the Deputy Commissioner assured that shops would be allowed to open on the odd-even model,” said Charanjiv Singh, president, Chandigarh Beopar Mandal.

“We will discuss both business aspects as well as the current status of Covid -19, based on which a decision will be taken,” said an official.

UT Adviser Manoj Parida yesterday stated that the positivity rate had come in the city. With cases on the decline, the restrictions are likely to be relaxed.

Following the second wave, the Administration had imposed a lockdown on May 4 in the city. Since then, the lockdown has continued along with a weekend curfew.