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Day before lockdown, Kalyan-Dombivli residents crowd shops to stock up on essentials
Following the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation’s (KDMC) announcement on Tuesday night to impose a 10-day lockdown from July 2, residents thronged the streets
Following the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation’s (KDMC) announcement on Tuesday night to impose a 10-day lockdown from July 2, residents thronged the streets on Wednesday to stock up on essentials.
KDMC will impose the complete lockdown in its vicinity from 7am on Thursday, till 7am on July 12, to break the chain of the Covid-19 spread. As part of the restrictions, the civic body will not permit counter delivery, and only home delivery of essential goods will be allowed. This led residents to crowd grocery and vegetable shops, a day before lockdown came into effect.
“All these days the shops were open and counter delivery was allowed so we could go any time and buy. Now, since there won’t be any counter delivery, it was necessary to stock up on vegetables and fruits. The roads were more crowded than usual as many came out to shop,” said Shalini Rai, 45, a resident of Rambaug, Kalyan (West).
On Thursday morning, several localities like Rambaug, Syndigate, Tilak Chowk, and Khadakpada in Kalyan (West); Chinchpada, Kolsewadi, and Tisgaon in Kalyan (East); Tilak Road, Manpada Road, and Phadke Road in Dombivli witnessed long queues outside shops as customers waiting to buy essentials.
Rahul Duseja, 30, a resident of Phadke Road, said, “We came to know that the police will strictly act on those found on the road. We don’t want to take any risk and hence decided to buy the necessary things and stay home for the next 10 days.”
Police also took to the streets on Wednesday to broadcast announcements on loudspeakers, asking residents to restrict outdoor movement, and stay at home for 10 days. As per Kalyan zone 3 police, a total of 500 policemen will be deployed in different parts of the city on Thursday to keep a lookout for people roaming on streets unnecessarily.
“We won’t allow anyone to travel in vehicles unnecessarily. Even if they want to go anywhere, they need to have due permission. Legal action will be taken on the spot against violators. We have already made announcements across the cities so that people are aware of it,” said Vivek Pansare, deputy commissioner of police, Kalyan, zone 3.
Meanwhile, KDMC initiated the sealing of most containment zones in the city to ensure there is no public or vehicular movement there.
“We have sealed most of the containment zones so that no vehicles enter or exit these areas. The civic body and police will ensure the lockdown norms are followed in the containment zones,” said a senior KDMC official, who did not wish to be named.
Last week, the civic body had identified 32 containment zones and had imposed restrictions on counter delivery, public, and vehicle movement in these areas.
