It was a major relief for the residents of containment area of the city after the district administration lifted barricades of around 90% of the area after some 35 days.
The entire area coming under Gol Gumbaz police station limited was sealed after six COVID-19 cases were first reported from the area on April 12, after which the area was completely sealed, preventing the entry and exit of residents barring emergency services.
“We have lifted restrictions in most areas expect in three places where the cases were reported. Some hundred metre area of these cases are still sealed. After assessing the situation, even this area will be opened in a few days if we do not receive any positive cases from this area”, said Harsha Shetty, City Corporation Commissioner.
Meanwhile, the people of these areas are now heaving a sigh of relief after the restrictions were lifted. Till Sunday, most of the roads of these areas were barricaded and police personnel were deployed to prevent the movement of people.
“We were facing enormous difficulty after the sealing of our area. The daily wage workers who have houses in this area were most affected as they were fast losing money and they had no work. The district administration though was supplying food and milk, but buying vegetables and medicines had become a major problem”, said one of the residents after the lifting of restriction.
After the relaxation, a large number of people was seen moving out from their houses and the situation appeared normal like in the past.
Five more positive cases
Meanwhile, the district recorded five more positive cases on Monday. With this, the total number of positive cases reached 59. After the discharge of 37 persons and death of three persons, some 19 cases are active who are being treated at the designated hospital here.
Deputy Commissioner Y.S. Patil said that all these five cases have travel history to Maharashtra. Some seven persons returned from Mumbai on May 13. They were sent to quarantine facility. After testing, five persons including a pregnant woman were found positive. “ She was taken to district hospital where she had normal delivery. Her baby has so far tested negative. Both mother and child are fine”, he said.