Covid-19: UP govt imposes lockdown from Friday night to Monday morning

The Uttar Pradesh government has imposed a lockdown in the state from 10 pm on Friday till 5 am on Monday, exempting essential services.

The curbs have been imposed in the state to check the spread of Covid-19 and other communicable diseases, Chief Secretary R K Tiwari said in an order communicated to all district authorities in the state.

The government, however, insisted that it is not a lockdown.

The decision was taken after reviewing the present state of Covid-19 and to effectively check its spread, the chief secretary said in the order, adding all offices and markets will remain closed during this period, although medical and health services and essential services will continue as before.

Offices, markets in urban and rural areas, grain markets and other business establishments will remain closed, the order said, adding there will be no restriction on movement of those working in essential services, medical professionals, sanitation and the door-step delivery staff.

The movement of railways would continue and Uttar Pradesh Road Transport Corporation would make arrangement to operate buses to carry passengers arriving at the railway stations.

International and domestic air services would also continue as before and there would also no curbs on movement of people from airports to their destination, the order said, adding that goods carrier vehicles would also not be restricted.

The traffic on national and state highways too would continue and petrol pumps and 'dhabas' would also remain open, the order said.

A campaign for sanitation and supply of potable water would be carried out from July 10 to 12 and all officials and employees involved in it would be exempted from these restrictions, the order said, adding the concerned offices too will remain open.
 

People at Select Citywalk after the authorities permitted to reopen malls, in New Delhi on Monday/Photo: Dalip Kumar

The ongoing campaign of medical screening and surveillance too would continue unhindered, it said.

Industrial units in rural areas would remain open, the order said, adding that barring the industrial units which work continuously, other units in the urban areas would remain closed.

All big construction works of expressways, bridges, roads and private projects would also continue.

The identity cards of the staff involved in providing essential services would be considered as their valid duty passes, it said.

At every public place, an awareness program would continue with the help of the public address system against Covid-19 and communicable diseases.

The magistrates and police officers would hold joint patrolling and the teams of police and UP-112 would ensure these restrictions, it added.