End of business for many markets in Vijayawada

Vijayawada: Partial lock down being implemented by the State government to contain the covid cases in the state from 12 noon to 6 am. has huge impact in Vijayawada city on Thursday, the second day of the 14 day lock down.

Many traders in the busy commercial areas like Beasant Road, Governor Pet, Eluru road, One Town have not opened the shops because they don't get business in two or three hours. Traders feel it was wasting of time going to the shops and returning home within two or three hours. Super markets, shopping malls, cinema halls, big restaurants remained closed.

Medium and small traders selling provisions, footwear, mobile phones, spectacles and other products opened their shops till 11.30 am or 12 noon only.

Denizens completed purchasing of vegetables, groceries and other essentials before 11 am and returned home. Auto-rickshaws were not seen on city roads because most people are not willing to come out due to the Covid pandemic is spreading very fast. The RTC suspended all long distance services and operating very limited services.

On the other hand, police erected barricades at the important junctions and prevented people from roaming on main roads. Barricades were arranged at the IGMC stadium, BRTS Road, Police control room, some parts of one town, Eluru road and other places. The police questioned the people why were they going out and what was the reason.

Commissioner of Police B Srinivasulu made it clear that only emergency services will be allowed during the curfew period. Sanitation workers, private security agencies staff, Medical and Health department staff, telecom services staff, government employees working in some departments like water supply, hospitals, common people going to the hospitals, labs, medical shops were allowed to come out of their homes and proceed to discharge duties.

The common people believe that the Covid chain can be broken with strict implementation of the lock down. Already thousands of people in Krishna district are suffering due to the impact of Covid. The spiraling cases worsened the situation in the recent weeks in the district with Covid patients are suffering due to non availability of beds and oxygen cylinders and some emergency medicines in the government and private hospitals.

Main junctions wore a deserted look since 1 pm as more than 99 per cent denizens in the city were off the roads and police started vigil to check the movement of vehicles.