Chennai stalls on ‘Sunday shutdown’

Chennai, June 21: The first “Sunday shutdown” as part of efforts to contain the spiralling Covid-19 cases brought Chennai and its suburbs to a standstill while the city civic body said its fever camps to help detect coronavirus cases early evoked tremendous response from the people.

It was a virtual curfew with deserted roads, bridges and intersections fully blocked by police using barricades to enforce the stringent lockdown in the city and suburbs which account for over 41,000 of the 59,377 Covid-19 cases in Tamil Nadu and 601 of the 757 deaths.

Barring police, sanitary workers and healthcare personnel others mostly stayed indoors and shops, barring pharmacies, remained shut throughout the day, the first of the two “Sunday shutdowns” during the 12-day intense lockdown enforced since June 19 to check the spread of the deadly virus.

City police said as many as 4,799 cases have been filed for violation of curbs and 7,907 vehicles (7,395 two-wheelers, 168 autorickshaws, 344 light motor vehicles) have been seized.

While vegetable shops, groceries and petrol pumps have been allowed to function from 6 am till 2 pm during the 12-day lockdown, such outlets too are closed on Sunday. State-run Amma Canteens, however, functioned as usual and distributed food free of cost to the needy.

The government has already announced that on two Sundays (June 21 and 28) barring milk supply, pharmacies, hospitals and ambulance services, no other services or shops will be permitted to function, in a bid to fully stop movement of people.

The present spell of intense lockdown was implemented in view of continuing surge in coronavirus cases days after the state allowed most services and businesses to function with restrictions under the “unlock-1”. While the state’s Covid tally was 59,377, Chennai alone accounted for 41,172.