First day of lockdown 2.0 has Punekars violating social distancing norms, movement restrictions

On the first day of lockdown 2.0 in the country, city roads were flooded with people and vehicles, throwing all social distancing norms out of the window. Punekars

On the first day of lockdown 2.0 in the country, city roads were flooded with people and vehicles, throwing all social distancing norms out of the window. Punekars were out on Wednesday morning shopping at vegetable markets and groceries and vehicles were plying on the roads throughout the day, despite warning of strict action against violators of the lockdown by the Pune police and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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On Satara road, vehicular movement was particularly high though at police check posts, people were not allowed to pass through without proper reasoning. At several petrol pumps, there was a rush to get fuel, but only those involved in essential services were provided the commodity. In the internal lanes connecting to Satara road towards Balajinagar, Sahakargnagar, Market Yard and Bibvewadi, residents -young and old- were seem roaming about the streets, with no care of the spreading Covid-19 pandemic.

Pune district collector Naval Kishore Ram said, “I appeal to all the residents to cooperate with the police and other government agencies. All the restrictions are in place for the safety of the people and if violations of crowding and unnecessarily movement is seen, then action will be taken against such violators.”

Keshav Bhalerao, a resident of Sahakarnagar, said, “I am surprised to see so many people out on the streets today. I come out daily to buy milk, but today residents were seen flouting all restrictions put in place due to the lockdown. At some of the shops, social distancing was not practiced and could lead to spread of the Sars-Cov-2 virus which causes Covid-19 disease. Police and government agencies should act strictly against the violators.”

Even in the containment zones, like Shukrawar peth, Tilak road, Sadashiv peth and Shaniwar peth, people were seen crowding the internal lanes. There was a rush at the vegetable market at Nehru chowk market in Shukrwar peth. Pushpa Waghmare, a vegetable vendor in the peth area, said, “Police force us to shut business after 11am, so we start early in the morning at 6.30am. Residents are familiar with the change in timings and come accordingly. We have made sure our customers follow social distancing norms.”