Tirupati: Traders seek restricted business hrs to curb Covid

Tirupati: The spike in Covid positive cases in Chittoor district and particularly in Tirupati and Srikalahasti areas has been severely worrying the people. The district so far registered 1,500 positive cases in which Tirupati accounts for about 250 while Srikalahasti is nearing 200 cases. Covid cases are reported alarmingly in Tirupati, Nagari, Satyavedu and Srikalahasti constituencies along with Tirupati Rural mandal.

Many people are attributing the spike in cases in Tirupati to the inflow of people into the City through buses, trains and even flights. When The Hans India talked to a few persons, they were of the view that police did excellently well during lockdown but they are demoralised by opening of liquor shops. It's time now for them to step in again to implement Covid-19 protocols. Some others strongly advocated closing down liquor shops till Covid-19 curve starts coming down. However, they have opined in one voice that another lockdown is essential to control the chain.

Tirupati Chamber of Commerce President A Manjunath has said that the trading community on the whole are ready for another lockdown in Tirupati. Alternatively, they suggest the authorities implement reduced business hours preferably from 6 am to 12 noon.

In view of the increasing number of cases, Srikalahasti had gone in for another round of lockdown from June 28 where the shops will be opened from 6 am to 11 am only. Chittoor traders have decided to open shops from 6 am to 3pm only from July 1 to curb the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, former MP Chinta Mohan has demanded TTD to restrict darshans to Tirupati locals only without looking for Hundi collections. He warned that one pilgrim from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and other states will spread the dreaded disease to several people in Tirupati.