Madurai, Jun 24 (UNI) The public places and streets wore a deserted look as people preferred to stay indoors on the first day of the seven-day complete lockdown that began in Madurai district on Wednesday to contain the spread of novel coronavirus pandemic.
Tamil Nadu government on Monday announced enforcement of a week-long complete lockdown beginning from June 23 midnight in Madurai Corporation limits and Paravai Town Panchayat, following spike in the number of COVID-19 cases and also in the rural blocks of Madurai East, Madurai West and Thirupparankundram owing to minor increase in the number of positive cases mostly due to the inter-District movements.
Police placed barricades on the arterial roads and key inter-sections restricting the movement of vehicles to several main thoroughfares in the city and suburbs.
The bustling MGR Bus Stand, Arapalayam Bus Stand and Periyar Bus Stand were closed.
Movement of vehicles on bridges across River Vaigai was restricted by the police. Only Albert Victor Bridge, New Bridge, P.T.Rajan Bridge and Kamaraj Bridge was kept open for vehicle movement.
Essential services that includes hospitals, medical labs, pharmaceutical shops, ambulance and hearse vehicle services and allied medical related activities were only permitted. Shops and business establishments, barring those dealing with essential commodities, remained shut.
Auto, taxi and private vehicles were not permitted. However, auto, taxi and private vehicles were allowed to ply for medical emergencies and also to ferry passengers from railway stations and Madurai airport with the mandatory e-Pass issued by the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency to the passengers.
The Central and State government departments would function with 33 percent staff and other essential services will function with required staff.
District Collector T.G.Vinay in a release said bus services from other districts to Madurai will be terminated at outside areas under lockdown, while the public transportation will not ply in the lockdown areas.
Asserting that the lockdown restrictions will be strictly enforced, Madurai City Commissioner of Police Davidson Devasirvatham warned that vehicles including two-wheelers found violating lockdown norms will be seized.
Over 2,500 police personnel and Tamil Nadu Special Police personnel were deployed at the check posts and police pickets posted at important junctions to check violations, he said.
Madurai district stood at the 6th place in the State with 988 COVID-19 positive cases and 9 deaths related to the virus till date.
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