Uttar Pradesh lifts Sunday curfew as COVID-19 cases fall, markets allowed to open

Uttar Pradesh has lifted the Sunday COVID-19 lockdown imposed in the state and the markets have also been allowed to open normally on weekdays.

New Delhi: The Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh has lifted the Sunday lockdown imposed in the state. The decision was taken on Friday (August 20) after a meeting of CM's 'Team-9'. 

The state government has decided to lift weekend curfews and he markets have also been allowed to open normally on weekdays. The government spokesman said that markets will now observe their earlier weekly closure on designated days.

“In the wake of drop in COVID-19 cases in the state, the weekend curfew on Sunday will not be imposed anymore. The markets will open normally like weekdays,” ANI wrote in a tweet.

Uttar Pradesh is also ready to reopen schools from August 23. The state government has ordered the opening of schools for students of classes 6 to 8 from August 23, while those for classes 1 to 5 will be opened from September 1.

Schools from class 9 to 12 have been opened for students in the state from August 16. However, the government has also said that the attendance of students in schools is not mandatory.

Earlier, the state had eased relaxations partially keeping improving COVID-19 situation in mind. On August 11, the UP government lifted weekend lockdown from Saturdays though, COVID-19 curbs continued on Sundays. Since August 14, the movement of people was allowed for Saturdays from 6 am-10 pm. 

Uttar Pradesh is witnessing a declining trend in the number of COVID-19 cases. The state has reported 29 new COVID-19 cases, 35 recoveries and 2 deaths.