CHENNAI: Barricades gone, standalone shops open and traffic returned to streets as the city experiences the first day of relaxed lockdown on Monday.
Hundreds of people flocked to the mechanic shops and people servicing air conditioners were on heels since morning.
Around the city police personnel in patrol vehicles and hired vehicles went on announcing that vehicles of people who are roaming without any purpose will be detained.
Police personnel were creating awareness that relaxation in lockdown doesn't mean that everyone is free to roam and that wearing masks are necessary.
In several commercial areas like Purasalwalkam, Triplicane, T Nagar and Velachery vehicle movements were high and even some autorickshaws were also seen.
Inspite of several warningz from the authorities many two-wheelers were seen plying with pillion riders without masks or helmets. In Anna Salai, normalcy returned as barricades were removed and signals functioned to control vehicle movement as usual.
Throughout the city petty shops selling cigarettes were opened while in places like Alwarpet, Mylapore and Ice house police personnel shutdown those shops.
In areas surrounding Nanganallur and Adambakkam shopkeepers of permitted standalone shops came early to clean the shops before opening for business.
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Ironically, with less number of people infront of shops the vehicle movements on the streets has increased. People in several places maintained social distancing and in others, police personnel were deployed to implement it.
"We received hundreds of complaints of air conditioners not working and from morning 7am our employees are on the run to rectify them. We have a packed schedule until the end of lockdown. Despite the schedule we are awaiting for several spare parts for the appliances which might take time because of the lockdown," said a manager of a private air conditioning company in Nungambakkam.
Meanwhile owing to the trouble in Koyambedu market, vegetables saw skyrocketing demand on the streets of Chennai.
Vendors claim that they get it from people who purchase on wholesale and there is an increasing demand of vegetables while supply is very less.