BENGALURU: A week-long lockdown in Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts will begin from 8 pm on Tuesday and this time around, the state government has made restrictions more stringent. While all establishments have been asked to shut, shops selling essential items like groceries, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish and animal fodder, are allowed to operate, but only for seven hours -- from 5 am to noon, till the lockdown ends at 5 am on July 22.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, after a meeting with the Covid-19 task force, said that there is no proposal to extend the week-long lockdown. While flights and trains already scheduled will be allowed to operate, no new rail and air services can ply. Those travelling to airport or railway stations have to produce their tickets, which will serve as passes.
Public transport will remain suspended, and hiring of autos and taxis will be allowed only for emergencies. Dining at hotels and restaurants has been suspended again, while takeaways and home deliveries are allowed. Places of worship will shut. Liquor shops too are prohibited. There will be no restriction on the movement of goods vehicles.
All state government offices will remain closed, except those dealing with Covid-related work and essential services, like water, electricity and BBMP. All central government offices will also shut except defence and its PSUs, public utilities like banks, post offices, telecommunication etc.
Vidhana, vikasa Soudha to function with 50% staff
Secretariat Offices at Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha and MS Building will be allowed to function with 50% staff. All agricultural-related activities will be allowed, including mandis, e-marketing channels, agricultural equipment shops etc, while animal husbandry and fisheries activities, including cold chain, transport and marketing too can function. Pension operations, distribution of food through anganwadis to the doorsteps of beneficiaries and works under MGNREGA will continue.
Schools and colleges will remain closed, but scheduled examinations will be held. Only hotels and hospitality services earmarked for frontline workers and as quarantine facilities will be permitted. Religious congregations have been restricted, even as the prohibition on gyms, cinemas etc continues. The movement of people, except in emergencies, has been prohibited. Even during emergencies, vehicle owners must obtain valid passes and strictly adhere to the guidelines issued by the Health Department.
People travelling for work and students for examinations should produce ID cards and admission tickets. Industries involved in food processing, manufacturing of essential goods, will be allowed to operate. Industries with access control in Special Economic Zones or outside municipal limits and export-oriented units and industrial townships are permitted to function. Construction activities where no additional workforce needed to be brought in from outside will be allowed. These exceptions are applicable only outside containment zones, which will have only essential services functioning.
BBMP commissioner, police Commissioner and DCs of Bengaluru Urban and Rural have been given the powers to prohibit more activities if needed. The BBMP Commissioner will deploy executive magistrates as incident commanders in respective jurisdictions. Violators will be booked under Section 5l to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, besides legal action under Section 188 of the IPC.