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Covid-19 lockdown: City shut, mass travel to native places continue
PUNE Police personnel fan across the city since Friday midnight to implement the lockdown order of Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to ensure closure,
PUNE Police personnel fan across the city since Friday midnight to implement the lockdown order of Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to ensure closure, a scene akin to rehearsal for Sunday’s ‘Janata Curfew’.
However, the directive has seen an opposite effect on city, with places of public transport, especially railway stations and bus depots, seeing massive crowds as residents rush to go to their native places.
In the city, most areas witnessed a deserted look while the railway station was busy with northbound passengers, going mostly to Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar. Most trains going to Bihar and UP were full with health minister Rajesh Tope saying railways have been urged to organise few more trains to clear the rush.
Similarly, the state-run bus stations at Wakdewadi and Swargate were crowded with outbound passengers. The travellers were mostly worker class who were rushing to their native places after the lockdown.
Ajay Gupta who runs a ‘paani puri’ shop on NIBM road said, “I am returning to my hometown in Mathura due to lockdown and loss of business.”
The city police lodged as many as 38 cases against establishments for violation of Indian Penal Code (IPC) 188. DCP (special branch) Mitesh Ghatte said, “Action has been taken for violation of public assembly. The joint commission has appealed to citizens to suspend religious rituals for the total observance of isolation and social distancing.”
“Except medical stores, most parts of the city is under lockdown amid police patrolling. At least 1,200 police personnel were on duty in night patrol squad assisting citizens during the lockdown,” said Naval Kishore Ram, Pune district collector.
“The railway station was jam-packed even on Friday late night. We cannot implement a blanket ban on them returning to their hometowns,” said Ram.
“We urge people to follow social distancing and strict action will be taken against violators. Today (on Saturday) a decision to reduce attendance at banks and Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) offices by 50 per cent will be taken while the attendance at IT companies has gone down by eighty-five per cent,” said Ram.
Divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar said that the state transport buses witnessed 80 per cent reduction in traffic.
