Relaxations in norms on Tuesday, the second day of triple lockdown in the city, brought relief to large sections of people.
People flocked to the shops that sold essential goods from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., creating a traffic surge on major arterial roads, compared to Monday, the first day of the triple lockdown.
Panic buying was evident in many outlets with customers fearing for withdrawal of the relaxations on account of the rising number of cases.
Shopkeepers, however, were worried about the difficulty in restocking essential items, considering the additional restrictions that existed in Chala and other markets from where many retailers procure supplies.
They demanded the district administration’s intervention in easing the supply chain and preventing widespread panic.
Traders, too, were concerned about the dwindling stock of commodities amid the prevailing curbs on movement.
Despite the relaxations, lockdown enforcement remained in full swing with the City police acting tough against violators.
Twenty-five shops were shut down after they were found to have violated the social distancing norms.
The police also booked 147 people and seized 98 vehicles for violation of lockdown norms.
While tight inspections continued at the city’s border points, bike patrolling, and aerial surveillance using drones were also under way to ensure vigil on the byroads and other parts.
The City police have also launched the ‘Road Vigil’ application that enables police personnel to rein in unnecessary travel. While the details of vehicles will be recorded using the application at various points, the data will be used to corroborate the details provided by motorists at other inspection points.