Lockdown hits life in Chandigarh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 17

Normal life was affected in the city today due to the imposition of the weekend lockdown to stem the rise in Covid-19 cases.

The UT Administration had yesterday imposed the weekend lockdown from 10 pm on Friday and till 5 am on Monday to break the transmission chain. All government and private offices, markets and malls remained closed due to the restrictions. Essential commodity shops and vendors dealing with food, groceries, fruits and vegetable, dairy and milk booths, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, however, remained opened for home delivery.

Sector 17 and other markets in Sectors 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 30 wore a deserted look as people remained indoors. However, there were no strict restrictions on the movement of vehicles in the city. The traffic was thin, but there were no curbs on the inter-state and intra-state movement of essential and non-essential goods and all vehicles or persons in bona fide transit were allowed to pass. Passengers going to or returning from airport or railway station or bus stand were also exempted from the curfew.

As restaurants, hotels and food joints/courts in various malls were allowed to open only for home delivery, their employees were allowed to move on the production of a valid ID card.

Later in the evening, people were seen visiting shops of essential commodities, but there was hardly any rush.

To ferry passengers from bus stands and railway stations, the CTU operated limited number of buses on various routes in the city.

The Administration has exempted certain categories of people from the curfew for necessary services and activities such as vaccination.

Those going to appear for any examination and those on examination duties were also allowed movement on the production of identity cards.

Those tasked with law and order, emergency and municipal services, police, military or paramilitary personnel in uniform, health, electricity, fire, mediapersons and government machinery tasked with Covid-related duties were also exempted from the curfew.

Restaurant staff allowed movement

• As restaurants, hotels and food joints/courts in various malls were allowed to open only for home delivery, their employees were allowed to move on the production of a valid ID card.
• Later in the evening, people were seen visiting shops of essential commodities, but there was hardly any rush.

FIRs against 10 for violating Covid norms

Chandigarh: The police registered 10 FIRs for violation of Covid guidelines under Section 188 of the IPC on Saturday. Twelve challans were issued to persons found not wearing masks in public places. Fifty-two persons were challaned for not maintaining social distancing. As many as 22 persons were fined for spitting in public places. The police collected a total of Rs55,500 as fine from violators on the first day of the weekend lockdown. During the night curfew from April 7 to 16, six FIRs were registered under Section 188 of the IPC. Three persons were challaned for not wearing masks. A total of Rs8,000 was collected from violators for flouting the Covid guidelines. TNS

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