Pune lockdown Extended: Conditional curfew in more hotspots\, existing prohibitory orders formally extended

Pune lockdown Extended: Conditional curfew in more hotspots, existing prohibitory orders formally extended

These orders have been extended till May 3 in Pune and till April 30 in Pimpri-Chinchwad, subject to further revision. For the past one week, orders making masks compulsory in public places at all times have also been in force. This too stands extended.

Written by Sushant Kulkarni , Ajay Jadhav | Pune | Published: April 14, 2020 11:06:55 pm
Pune lockdown extention, face mask india, pune coronavirus cases, pune coronaavirus, Maharashtra news, Indian express news These orders have been extended till May 3 in Pune and till April 30 in Pimpri-Chinchwad, subject to further revision. (Representational Image)

FOLLOWING THE announcement to extend the nationwide lockdown, police on Tuesday issued orders to formally extend the existing prohibitory rules in the district and have also announced the imposition of conditional curfew at more hotspots in Pune on communication from the Pune Municipal Corporation.

Along with Pune City police, formal orders were also issued by Pimpri-Chinchwad Police and Pune Rural Police. At present, there are orders in place prohibiting the assembly of five or more persons in public places and also prohibiting use of vehicles on roads. Persons involved in essential and emergency services are exempt from these restrictions.

In addition, there are orders of conditional curfew in some areas under PMC and PCMC jurisdictions, which have been earmarked as hotspots. All these orders have been extended.

These orders have been extended till May 3 in Pune and till April 30 in Pimpri-Chinchwad, subject to further revision. For the past one week, orders making masks compulsory in public places at all times have also been in force. This too stands extended.

Joint Police Commissioner Ravindra Shisve said, “The time span of the first lockdown gets over on midnight April 14. As announced earlier by chief minister and today (April 14) by Prime Minister, this lockdown has been extended. To this end, we had already started preparing and had conducted meetings to issue orders for implementing this extension. Directions have been issued to all units in our jurisdiction. We are further issuing orders for extension of the lockdown, as part of the procedure. In addition to lockdown orders in the city, we had imposed conditional curfew in five areas under four police stations. These were earmarked as hotspots due to high prevalence of cases. Now after consultation with civic officials and zonal DCPs, a decision has been taken to further increase the number of such areas under curfew. We are issuing orders earmarking geographical boundaries of new areas under this conditional curfew. Administration is making sure that the supply of essential commodities remains undisturbed. New orders will be in force after midnight on April 14 till midnight on May 3.”

With a surge in coronavirus cases in different parts of city, the proposal by the PMC to seal more areas has received the nod of district authorities and, accordingly, the police have been informed.

Earlier, the PMC had declared Kondhwa area and central part of the city from Gultekdi to RTO will be sealed from April 7, where the police had subsequently imposed curfew. On April 13, the PMC urged the district administration to declare the sealing of more areas as cases were on the rise.

These areas are located on Solapur Road, Ahmednagar Road and Shivajinagar. Specific areas which the PMC asked to be sealed are Patra Chawl Lane 1 to 48, Tadiwala Road, Ghorpadigaon, Balajinagar, Shrawastinagar, Rajewadi, Quartergate, Vikasnagar, Wanowriegaon, Lumbininagar on Tadiwala Road, Chintamaninagar on Handewadi Road, Ghorpadigaon, BT Kawade Road, Laxminagar, Jayjawannagar, Yerawada, Parvati Darshan, Old Shivajinagar Bus Stand area, Patil Estate, Bhosalewadi, Wakdewadi, NIBM Road, Kondhwa Khurd, Kondhwa Budhruk, Sainagar in Kondhwa, Viman Nagar, Vadgaonsheri, Dhanori, Syednagar in Mohammadwadi.

Pune City Police on Tuesday issued orders of curfew in almost all these areas, geographically marking pockets under individual police stations. There is a relaxation of two hours daily. Additionally police have also imposed conditional curfew in some densely populated areas under Kothrud, Warje and Khadki police stations.

After sealing Kondhwa and central part of city, the PMC took up door-to-door visits to detect more cases so as to contain the virus. “It is necessary to seal the newly-proposed areas so that effective measures can be put in place in these areas that have seen a surge in cases,” said PMC Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Pimpri-Chinchwad) Ramnath Pokale said the prohibitory and curfew orders in sealed areas in their jurisdiction have been extended till April 30, subject to further revision.

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