Coimbatore: Getting tough on lockdown violators, police have warned of strict action against the people stepping out to the streets for trivial matter.
Coimbatore: Streets were deserted, commercial establishments were closed and people remained indoors here on the first day of the complete lockdown on Monday.
TNSTC town buses, private buses and mofusill buses stayed off the road. Gandhipuram town bus stand, central bus stand, Singanallur, Ukkadam and Mettupalayam bus stands were deserted as buses were parked in depots. Grocery shops, vegetable markets, fish shops, meat shops and bakeries that opened at 6am, downed shutters by noon. Only take away service was allowed in restaurants and hotels. Hospitals and medical shops were open.
The city police had deployed 1,000 personnel to enforce lockdown norms. But the personnel did not stop those who had stepped out to visit hospitals and to buy medicines and groceries. Cops created awareness about the necessity of using face masks and maintaining social distancing.
Coimbatore: People crowded grocery shops, vegetable and fish markets, and ATMs by flouting Covid-19 precautionary measures on Sunday to buy and stock things ahead of the total lockdown, which would come into effect from Monday, despite the government making it clear that the shops selling essentials items would be allowed to function for limited hours during the period.
This irresponsible behaviour from the public comes at a time when the daily spike in Covid-19 cases is touching new highs and many battling for their lives.
It was to contain the virus that the state government announced full lockdown from May 10 to 24. To ensure supply of essential commodities to the citizens, the government had permitted grocery shops, confectionaries and fish and meat shops to function from 6am to noon. As such there was no reason for people to resort to panic buying.
Coimbatore: As many as 1,000 police personnel are to be deployed in the city to enforce a 14-day total lockdown from Monday.
While only takeaway service will be allowed in hotels till 9pm, bakeries, grocery shops, vegetable markets could function till noon.
Police will conduct vehicle checks at 12 check posts and 40 temporary picketings. Four deputy commissioners of police (DCs), 13 assistant commissioners of police (ACPs), inspectors of police and sub-inspectors of police also will be on patrol. Police have identified 75 important junctions, including Range Gowder Street, Gandhipuram, Lakshmi Mills junction and railway stations, and fixed public addressing (PA) systems there. Pre-recorded voices will be aired to create awareness about the Covid-19 in these junctions.
Coimbatore: On the first day of the new Covid-19 containment restrictions came into force on Thursday, the busy Cross Cut Road, 100 Feet Road, Big Bazaar Road, Oppanakkara Street and other commercial areas in the city wore a deserted look with almost all shops closed by noon.
As many as 756 police personnel were deployed in the city to enforce the new restrictions.
Tasmac outlets were teeming with customers from early morning as they could remain open only from 8am to noon.
Though buses could operate with 50% passengers, most buses plied with less than 50% of passengers.
Only 50% of government employees came for work.