Malls open at M'luru and Udupi; close after threatened with action

Udupi/Manglauru: Most of the malls in Udupi and Mangaluru were open for business on the morning of Saturday, March 14 even though the state government had ordered all of them to remain shut for a week.

Two prominent malls at Udupi, Big Bazaar and City Centre, had opened in the morning and saw few visitors. Those who visited were shoppers buying to stock up for the week-long shutdown.

Management of these places said that they had to open to dispose off their perishable items and also because there were people still coming in for purchases. Moreover, they had not received written orders from the deputy commissioner to shut down.

Udupi deputy commissioner G Jagadeesha, later clarified and confirmed that orders are for “all malls, restaurants and theatres to remain shut for a week.”

In Mangaluru too few malls had opened doors and stated that they have not received direct orders from the district deputy commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh

The DC later sent a stern warning to these malls for violating the state government’s order and the malls closed immediately after.