Chandigarh imposes weekend lockdown due to surge in COVID-19 cases

Chandigarh: Amid a surge in coronavirus cases in Chandigarh, a weekend lockdown has been imposed in the Union Territory beginning at 5 am on Saturday (May 1).

However, with daily night curfew hours in Chandigarh starting from 6 pm to 5 am, the restrictions will effectively come into force from Friday evening.

The Chandigarh Administration said it has decided to impose weekend lockdown on similar lines as its satellite towns of Mohali in Punjab and Panchkula in Haryana.

"There will be weekend corona curfew on Saturday and Sunday in Chandigarh too on similar lines as Mohali and Panchkula. Orders issued," Advisor to Chandigarh's Administrator Manoj Parida said, as per an official statement.

"There shall be a weekend corona curfew from 5 am on May 1 till 5 am on May 3 in UT Chandigarh. No person shall leave their home or shall move on foot or by vehicle or travel or stand or roam around on any road or public places during the lockdown hours," an order issued by Mandip Singh Brar, District Magistrate-cum-Chairperson, District Disaster Management Authority, UT Chandigarh, said.

In his order, he said a meeting to review the COVID-19 situation was held here on Friday, in which it was decided that a 'weekend corona curfew' should be imposed in Chandigarh.

Among various categories exempted include those tasked with law and order/emergency and municipal services, health, electricity, fire and telecom services. Shops dealing with the supply of essential goods like milk, vegetables etc shall be allowed to remain open for home delivery up to 2 pm, the order stated.

There shall be no curbs on inter-state movement of essential and non-essential goods while vehicles in bonafide inter-state transit shall be allowed to pass.

All vaccination centres/testing centres/dispensaries and medical facilities shall remain open.

ATMs, hospitals, veterinary hospitals and all related medical establishments, besides dispensaries, chemist shops, pharmacies, ambulance services etc will continue to remain functional, the order said.

The kitchens of restaurants/eating places, hotels including food joints/courts in various malls can remain open for home delivery only up to 9 pm. Their staff shall be allowed to move on production of valid identity card issued to them by their respective establishment.

Pregnant women and patients getting medical/health services will be exempted from the lockdown restrictions.

Marriages with prior permission from the Sub Divisional Magistrate concerned with the attendance of up to 50 persons shall be allowed. Funerals/last rites with attendance of up to 20 persons are allowed, it said.

During the weekend curfew, those going for appearing examinations and those on exam duties will be allowed movement on the production of admit/identity cards.

Those government employees working in tricity (Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula), shall be allowed transit on the production of valid identity cards and duty orders.

Any breach of the orders shall invite action as per law, the order said.

Notably, weekend lockdown had been imposed in Chandigarh a fortnight ago, but the weekend restrictions barring night curfew were lifted last week. However, as the surge in COVID cases has continued, the administration again imposed the weekend lockdown.

UT Chandigarh on Friday recorded 724 fresh infections, taking the infection tally to 42,647. The death of 13 more persons took the toll to 478 in the city, according to a medical bulletin.

Amid rising COVID-19 cases, the Chandigarh administration had on April 28 announced the extension of the curfew period by three hours. The night curfew in Chandigarh, effective since April 29, starts from 6 pm till 5 am.

(inputs from PTI)