Day-2 of weekend curfew in Karnataka: People by and large remain at home

Bengaluru: With Karnataka observing the second day of the weekend curfew aimed against Covid-19, Bengaluru and most other parts of the State wore a deserted look on Sunday.

Businesses and restaurants remained shut, and vehicles stayed off roads. From 6 AM to 10 AM, the administration allowed people to purchase essential items like milk, grocery and vegetables barring which people largely stayed indoors. To restrict unnecessary public movement, certain flyovers and streets were barricaded. After 10 AM, the police started enforcing the restrictions and were seen questioning people still on roads. While those with genuine reasons were let off, the others loitering around were punished and vehicles were seized.

There were similar reports from other parts of the State. Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said people voluntarily have restricted movement and this would help in Covid management. Speaking to reporters here, he said Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa spoke to Deputy Commissioners of the districts on Saturday and gathered information from them.

According to Covid-19 guidelines in place from April 21 to May 4, night curfew has been imposed in the entire State from 9 PM to 6 AM every day; there would be weekend curfew from 9 PM on Friday to 6 AM on Monday. Amid reports of lockdown-like measures that are in place during weekends may be extended to other days of the week, Bommai said, “Such proposals did not come up during the meeting on Saturday, so I don’t want to comment. For now, things will continue as they are.”

The government had on Saturday hinted at lockdown-like measures through the week, with a couple of Ministers and the Chief Secretary indicating about it while stating that the State Cabinet is likely to discuss and take a call at its meeting on Monday.