CHENNAI: With the four-day Intensified Lockdown coming to an end in three municipal corporations - Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai on Wednesday, the State government has announced that the routine lockdown would continue in these corporations till May 3 as per the earlier restrictions-i.e., grocery and vegetable shops can function between 6 am and 1 pm daily.
However, on Friday alone, these shops will be allowed to open between 6 a.m. and 5 pm.
In an official release, the State government appealed to the people not to rush to the shops in a hurry to buy essential commodities.
"People should show patience and maintain social distancing while at shops. They should wear masks since the Coronavirus is easily and speedily spreads from one person to another,” the government added.
Amidst rising COVID-19 cases in the state, Chief Minister K Palaniswami had on April 24 announced a complete shutdown from Sunday (April 26) in Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai for four days, disallowing grocery shops as well and fully curtailing the movement of the public.
The shutdown in the corporation limits of Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore, scheduled to end by Wednesday night, will revert to the pre-April 26 conditions, an official release here said.
The government urged the people to strictly follow social distancing while buying the essential items.
"People are directed to wear masks," while visiting the shops, it said cautioning them against the contagion.
Incidentally, people had given a go-by to all social distancing norms on Saturday, a day before the total lockdown kicked-in in the said cities and resorted to panic buying by swarming markets in Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai to purchase essential commodities.
(With PTI Inputs)