Major street of Silk City a no-go zone

Berhampur: Shankarpur street, located in busy market area of Silk City, the biggest business hub of southern Odisha, became a no-go zone from Friday night. Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) declared the area as access control zone apprehending several residents in the area might come in contact with Covid-19 positive patients.
“On the basis of local inputs, it is apprehended that persons residing in the area might come in contact with some Covid-19 positive persons. It is necessary to declare the street as access control zone to safeguard the public and control the spread of Covid-19,” said BeMC commissioner Chakravarti Singh Rathore.
Since the street is located in the wholesale market in Bada Bazaar, the major business centre of the city, hundreds of people across the district visit the area daily for business purposes. The measure of the civic body will help restrict community spreading of the virus in the city, said the commissioner.
“No public will be allowed to move into the access control zone. All the residents of the area will remain in the home quarantine till the further order,” said Rathore. All the business establishments may be closed immediately, he ordered. Around 150 families are residing in the street. BeMC authorities, however, did not clarify if any Covid-19 positive patient was found in the area.
The supply of essentials and medical requirement will be ensured by the civic body through different teams formed by the corporation, he said. The civic body has entrusted four officers in the area with strict surveillance measures and supply the requirements to the residents following the imposition of restriction, an official said.