With shops opening up across the city as the lockdown restrictions were eased on Wednesday, citizens stepped out in large numbers to purchase non-essentials.
Most of the standalone shops were open in the city. Although stablishments in commercial complexes remained closed, electrical appliance repair shops, hardware and electrical shops, tailors and mobile phone shops opened for business. “My mixer needed to be repaired and nobody was willing to do it during the lockdown. I am so happy it can be repaired now,” a customer at a repair shop in Woraiyur said.
There was an increase in the vehicular movement since Monday, a traffic policeman at Salai Road said. “Many two-wheelers came out today, consisting of people who needed to purchase non-essential items and were unable to do it for the last 40 days,” he said. “The number of vehicles on the street was at 50 to 60 per cent lesser than a normal day but easily thrice as much as the last few weeks,” he said. However, there were no traffic congestions on arterial roads as larger vehicles- buses and autorickshaws had not hit the roads yet.
Some auto drivers who ferried passengers on Wednesday morning were fined by traffic policemen. The auto drivers demanded an explanation as to why they were not allowed to ply when cars could. “We have been asked to remain off the roads while cars are allowed. What is this unfair treatment? We will promise to take only one or two passengers.” M. Kalyanasundaram, an auto driver said.
With the number of cases increasing after people who returned from Chennai testing positive, the relaxation of the lockdown may prove to be costly, some residents said. S. Sekaran, Chairman, Citizens Forum said that a petition was submitted to the District Collector seeking his intervention on the matter as personal distancing would go for a toss. “I went to purchase some eatables in Thennur and had to return as a large crowd flouting all norms was waiting outside the shop. Not too many were wearing masks either,” he said.
Mr. Sekaran suggested that a shop owner must take the onus of maintaining personal distance at his shop. “One of the employees at the shop can stand outside and ensure all those entering the shop are wearing masks and are standing at least one metre away from each other. When a fellow customer asks to keep distance, some people are angered and shout at us. Instead, the shop owner can do it and if it is not maintained, he must be penalised,” he said.
ends