Mysore/Mysuru: The total Sunday lockdown announced by the State Government to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic was a complete success this morning in city as all commercial establishments, offices, business enterprises and other commercial activities were shut down for the day. Although it was a Government-ordered lockdown, residents voluntarily observed the bandh due to virus scare.

Today was the second Sunday lockdown, after the Government declared total lockdown across the State on all Sundays from July 5 to Aug. 2. KSRTC had suspended all bus services for the day and autos, taxis, cabs and other mode of public transport too were off the roads.

Citizens too stayed indoors as an expression of voluntary support for the lockdown. Barring hospitals, medical shops, grocery shops, fruit and vegetable stalls and such other essential service shops, all other commercial activities took a holiday.

The KSRTC Sub-Urban and City Bus Stands wore a deserted look and so also all of the Central Business District, in which major markets and other commercial establishments of the city are located. 

All thoroughfares and prominent roads of the city presented an empty picture, with hardly a handful number of vehicles plying and virtually no pedestrian movement.

The ever-busy K.R. Circle, Ayurveda Hospital Circle, Dhanvanthri Road, Sayyaji Rao Road, Irwin Road, Dewans Road, N.S. Road etc., presented a completely different picture today in view of the lockdown. As a regulatory measure, the Police had erected barricades at all major junctions, prominent roads, public places and traffic signal joints in order to restrict vehicular and pedestrian movements.

Today’s lockdown is central to the 35-hour curfew, starting from 6 pm yesterday to 5 am tomorrow (July13).The city Police had warned the public against unnecessarily venturing out on to the streets either on foot or in vehicles, in violation of the curfew.

However, meat shops were open as meat comes under the list of essential commodities. Although hotels too were allowed to open only for parcel deliveries and takeaways, hardly a couple of hotels were seen open.

The success of the total lockdown, which very much resembled a voluntary bandh with overwhelming support from the city residents, gave some relief to the Police, who were entrusted with the responsibility of enforcing the lockdown.