Mysore/Mysuru: The first weekend curfew kick-started last night with Police putting up barricades across the city and stopping non-essential movement till 6 am on Monday after which semi-lockdown will be in force. City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta has warned people to stay off the roads unless it was very essential. 

As a continued part of weekend curfew today, roads wore a deserted look and the city came to a grinding halt. Even during the four-hour window — from 6 am to 10 pm — granted for people to purchase essential items, there were hardly any people in the prime markets. As most of them had finished shopping last evening and had stocked up essentials, only a handful of shoppers were seen in the markets. 

As there was enough prior information regarding the weekend curfew and restrictions in the night, people were well prepared and the result is that the city paused movement and activities and the situation resembled March-April 2020 lockdown. People voluntarily stayed at homes instead of allowing the Police to take tough action against them if they come onto the streets. Online delivery of essential items was permitted.

Grocery stores and those selling food items remained open only from a 6 am to 10 am. Petrol bunks, pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and transport were open all through the day, while restaurants were providing only takeaways. Here too, most of the hotels reported a drastic cut of 70 percent in parcel services. After 10 am, even the transport facilities including KSRTC buses went off the roads as there were no people. Before 10 am, the KSRTC — both City and  Mofussil — sent over 50 buses in batches depending on the number of passengers. 

“This time, we have not issued any passes. Our personnel are on the streets and we will allow only essential and emergency travel,” said a Police officer. The entire Police machinery including Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta, DCPs Dr. A.N. Prakash Gowda and M.S. Geetha Prasanna, ACPs and Inspectors were monitoring the city. 

Their job, however, was made easy by people, who voluntarily stayed at homes. Criss-cross barriers were laid on the main thoroughfares so that motorists could be questioned on their movements. While the Police were not questioning each and every motorist, people moving suspiciously and those who looked casual were being stopped and questioned. 

Confusion created at hotels 

Confusion prevailed in front of hotels and restaurants this morning as announcements were made for them to close. While the Government order said that hotels are allowed to supply parcels with no dine-ins, a few Police teams mistook it for a total shutdown during weekend curfew and asked the hotels to down the shutters.  Their enthusiasm to close the hotels resulted in verbal spats between Police teams and hotel owners in many localities. Later it was clarified from the Commissioner that takeaways are allowed. 

Daily wagers affected

Hundreds of daily wagers concentrating at Nanjumalige Circle, Agrahara Circle, Manandavadi Road, Hebbal Surya Bakery, Andani Circle at Vidyaranyapuram and surrounding areas were affected as hotels and darshinis limited themselves only for parcel services. 

On usual days they just enter these hotels and darshinis to have a grub and as dine-ins were not allowed today, they were forced to take parcels and eat by the road side. They had no work to do either after eating and many preferred to sleep by the side of closed shop shutters. 

Markets closed

Along with the shops selling essential items that closed at 10 am, all the markets including Devaraja Market, Mandi Market and Vani Vilas Market closed before 10 am. There are 1,075 outlets at Devaraja Market including tenants and daily vendors. Similarly, there are 153 outlets at Mandi Market and 150 at Vani Vilas Market. 

Police entered individual gates of all markets at 9.30 am and had asked all vendors to shut shop. There were hardly any people in the markets and it was easy for the vendors to vacate and close the main gates. 

No construction activities 

The State Government has decided to impose a ban on all construction activities during the weekends. With this, Karnataka has virtually decided to impose lockdown during the weekends without using the terminology in its order.