Coronavirus cases across Uttar Pradesh spiraling, lockdown will be imposed across the state for three days, starting at 10 pm on Friday, during which only essential services will be allowed, the state government said. The rest, government and private offices, shops for non-essential items, malls and restaurants, will be shut. Buses and other public transport will be off the roads. The lockdown will be lifted at 5 am on Monday.
The government, though, will allow incoming trains and the passengers will be able to use special buses to get home.
The other exception will be factories in rural areas, which will be allowed to operate. Work on roads — highways and expressways — will also be on.
This is the first time the state government is going for a blanket lockdown since the Centre started lifting the restrictions in May. Earlier, the state had enforced extra restrictions in pockets and containment areas, and sealed borders with Delhi at Ghaziabad and Noida. Uttar Pradesh so far had more than 30,000 cases of coronavirus, of which more than 20,000 patients have recovered, 845 patients have died.
Last week, at a meeting with the Chief Ministers of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to review the coronavirus situation, Union Minister Amit Shah had asked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to focus on testing. Uttar Pradesh has one of the lowest rates of testing.
On Sunday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had attended the afforestation programme “Van Mahotsav” and said it was an example of how big events can be held while adhering to the coronavirus safety measures, including social distancing.
