The streets were deserted and traffic was non-existent in the State as the Sunday lockdown came into force again.
In Bengaluru, the police had closed all flyovers and had put up barricades on all major roads, disrupting any travel plans. Except a few autorickshaws at Majestic, all forms of public transport were off the road.
Sunday began with violations of the lockdown, but there was almost complete compliance within a few hours. Despite the lockdown beginning from 8 p.m. on Saturday, the city saw morning walkers take to the streets on Sunday, even though all parks were closed. The police were seen talking to them and sending them home. Those not wearing masks and maintaining social distance were penalised.
Small gatherings were also seen at meat shops, a Sunday morning ritual, where the police enforced queues with social distancing. The police shut down the meat shops by mid-morning in most areas.
Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa remained at his official residence Cauvery, spent time with his family and had no official meetings on Sunday.
Only pharmacies and grocery stores were open. While all places of worship remained closed, police officials said people turned up at Sai Baba temples across the city on the occasion of Guru Poornima and were seen offering prayers from the streets, despite the temples being closed.
As hotels remained open for takeaways, food delivery personnel worked through the day. Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said e-commerce and food delivery partners were the most overworked since the breakout of the pandemic and potentially exposed. “The city needs to think of them too. The boys work hard and they need a day’s rest too. They should also be safe,” he said.
Mr. Rao said the Sunday lockdown would continue for the next few weeks and appealed to the people to make it a people-driven initiative rather than an event of police enforcement. “People have cooperated with us for the lockdown for most parts. But we have had a barrage of requests made for permissions and exceptions, including for non-emergency purposes that can easily be postponed by a day. The lockdown is for our collective good and we must remain home, not made to stay indoors,” he said, hoping such requests come down over the next few Sundays when the lockdown will be in force.
The Sunday lockdown in Mysuru city and rural was near total. Similar reports have come from neighbouring Mandya, Kodagu, and Chamarajanagar districts as well. In Raichur district, more than 300 motorcycles were seized for violating lockdown rules, according Sri Hari Babu, Additional Superintendent of Police. In Belagavi district, MLA Mahesh Kumthalli held a meeting with traders’ association leaders at Athani to review the situation. He asked them to shut down the market voluntarily for a few days till the rising COVID-19 cases come under control.
The Sunday lockdown received an overwhelming response from the people in Kalyana Karnataka region.
In Dharwad, officers enforced a 36-hour curfew from Saturday evening. It was nearly total in the city and rural areas. Except essential services, the lockdown was total in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.