U.P announces 3-day lockdown

Lucknow. In a significant move to prevent killer virus’s infection across the state, Uttar Pradesh Government on Tuesday decided to re-impose a 3-day lockdown from every Friday night at 10 PM to Monday 5 am. 

According to state chief secretary RK Tiwari, he has issued a Corona virus-related 15-point guidelines to this effect to ensure that they are adhered strictly in toto, to check Covid-19’s further spread in state.

 “There are districts like Agra, Meerut and Gautam Budh Nagar, where Covid-19 situation is very serious. Hopefully, strict adherence of these guidelines, will help check killer virus’s spread in coming days”, said chief secretary. 

These guidelines are modelled on Central Government’s  Cornovirus related guidelines. 

Giving details of the guidelines, Tiwari said barring essential services and banks, all administrative offices will remain closed during lockdown period. He said all small and major rural markets, foodgrain markets and commercial markets will remain closed during the period. 

They will however, remain open from 9 AM to 9 PM during other non-lockdown days.

According to Covid-related guidelines, a total lockdown will be observed during weekends and weekly vegetable markets that are normally  held on Saturdays or Sundays, will be held during other non-lockdown days.

However, those running weekly vegetable markets, will have to ensure that guidelines like social distancing, mandatory wearing of masks and gloves and complete sanitization of the weekly markets, are adhered to strictly. 

All industrial units including IT and ITes and It enabled services, in urban and rural areas will remain open throughout the state. However, these industrial units will have to set up Covid-19 related desks in their units to help adhere all necessary restrictions to this effect. 

This will be apart from maintaining social distancing and wearing masks and gloves. 

As per the guidelines, transports carrying essential medical equipment, medicines and health-related services, will continue as usual. Railway and state Road Transport bus services will also remain operational during lockdown period. 

International and domestic flights will be operational and there will be no restrictions on travellers going to their homes from different Airports.

All petrol pumps will remain open and during lockdowns and there will be no restrictions on the movement of inter-state goods carriers.  Besides, all construction activities will also continue with strict adherence of Covid-related guidelines to defeat the infection in the state.