BENGALURU: Most localities in Bengaluru, where a fresh seven-day complete lockdown began on Tuesday night, wore a deserted look. By and large, the first day of the lockdown was successful, with people not venturing out unnecessarily and shops and commercial establishments, except medical establishments, closing at 12 noon on Wednesday.To make the lockdown more effective, the city police had barricaded main roads from Tuesday night, to curb unnecessary movement of vehicles. Though shops selling essential commodities were allowed to be open from 5 am till 12 noon, it was not business as usual except for milk vendors. As people preferred to stay home and most of them had already bought essentials, shops did not see many customers.
After 12 noon, the city came to a standstill as only hospitals and pharmacies were allowed to open. Also, there was moderate rainfall in many parts of the city, discouraging people to step out.Though hotels were allowed to operate and give only takeaways, many hoteliers chose to close the eateries as just parcels and online orders would not fetch them even the operational cost.
As a precautionary measure, the police have closed all flyovers in the city, barring those on the International Airport Road, till the lockdown ends. They also stopped some commuters and seized their vehicles after it was found that they were roaming without a valid reason. Senior police officers were monitoring the situation to ensure that the lockdown is enforced effectively.There was vehicular movement in the morning and evening, as some government offices were open and functioned with 50 per cent of staff.
Amidst a strict lockdown, there were some stray incidents of youths speeding on two-wheelers. A youth sustained injuries on Wednesday morning near KR Market after he lost control over the vehicle and hit the footpath. He was taken to hospital by the police.