Even as tipplers thronged liquor shops since Monday morning after the government allowed conditional liquor sale, lockdown curbs were mostly eased in Mysuru, Kodagu and Chamarajanagar districts as per government directives. Shops and commercial establishments (whichever had been permitted to operate in the designated zones) opened after a long gap.
In Mysuru, 91 roads had been identified where essential goods and services had been made available. Mysuru district had been placed in the COVID-19 ‘red zone’ and certain curbs had not been eased unlike ‘green’ zones to which Kodagu and Chamarajanagar belong.
No permission had been given for opening saloons in Mysuru district. Autorickshaws and taxis are also not permitted to operate unlike in the two other districts.
The lockdown curbs had been eased from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. However, the Mysuru district administration has urged the people to avoid stepping out of their homes after noon and instead procure essential goods and services between 7 a.m. and noon as a safety precaution.
But, the public in Mysuru city ignored the warning and many were found hitting the roads without reason, with some not wearing masks.
Barring Nanjangud, a major industrial town, which is a containment zone, industries had been allowed to function in other parts of the district. However, employees residing in containment zones, including Mysuru city, are not allowed to return to work and need to be in quarantine.
Liquor shops with CL-2 licence and MSIL outlets had been allowed to operate with certain conditions. People stood in long queues, of course by maintaining social distancing, outside shops in Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu districts to buy their choice of liquor. The tipplers had been longing for alcohol since over a month as clampdown had shut the business. However, liquor sale in malls remains banned.
Passes
Meanwhile, a provision has been made for getting passes online for inter-district movement from the police. The one-way and one-time passes are cleared online. The applicants can visit www.kspclearpass.idp.mygate.com/ to apply and get the passes, according to Mysuru Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar.
For two-wheelers, the rider is allowed without pillion. For LMVs, three adults are allowed, including driver and two minor children, if any (less than 2 years).
Kodagu police announced that the one-time pass will be issued with effect from Monday for the next two weeks. The pass can be obtained by those stranded in Kodagu to return to their destinations or those from Kodagu stranded elsewhere to return to their hometowns in the district. In view of rush for the passes, the Kodagu SP office said the passes can be availed only by visiting the above said website.
In Kodagu, autorickshaws and taxis are allowed to operate from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The liquor shops with CL-2 and CL-11c are allowed to operate for same four days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Shopping complexes, cinema halls, gyms and tourism activities continue to remain shut.
Bus service
Intra-district movement of KSRTC buses has been allowed in Chamarajnagar and Kodagu districts. Buses within Kodagu can be operated from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with 50 per cent capacity from May 6. In Mysuru district, bus operations within the district have been banned till May 17.
Marriages and last rites are allowed with a maximum of 20 people in Kodagu. People moving to Mysuru from Kodagu using passes are supposed to travel only through the checkpost at Kushalnagar, the police said.