Vijayawada: Cinema halls closed, shopping malls kept open

Vijayawada: Following the call given by the State government for closure of cinema halls and shopping malls in view of the spread of coronavirus in the country and health emergency declared by the Central government, only cinema halls were closed but not shopping malls in the city.

The big shopping malls have not been closed and large number of people thronged the malls to purchase groceries in many parts of the city. With messages circulating in social media that many shopping malls in the country will be shut till March 31, many people thronged the shopping malls and tried to purchase groceries.

The shopping malls have checked the temperature of visiting consumers with infrared thermometers and allowed the customers into the shopping malls.

The number of passengers at the railway station and bus station diminished on Friday compared to other days as many people decided to stay at home. It is expected that people would stay indoors till March 31 as many companies are giving permission to work from home and many educational institutions declared holidays till March 31. Petty traders may lose livelihood if people do not come out of their homes in view of the threat of coronavirus, which is creating panic in some parts of the country.