Patna roads wear a deserted look on Day 1 of fresh lockdown

PATNA: Patna once again came to a standstill with roads wearing a deserted look and multiple police checkpoints coming up on the first day of 16-day lockdown enforced by the state government to break Covid-19 chain on Thursday.
Police constables and traffic cops were seen stopping motorists to ascertain if they were travelling for valid reasons. Even Bailey Road, Boring Road, Ashok Rajpath, Exhibition Road and Gandhi Maidan areas did not see any major vehicle or pedestrian movement. All shops, except those selling essential commodities, remained shut. Milk, medicine, meat shops were open and vegetable and fruit vendors were also seen doing business along the roads.
City SP (central) incharge D Amarkesh said police personnel have been deputed at 50 checkpoints in the district and traffic police keep checking the vehicles throughout the day.
“Local police stations have been asked to ensure that shops close and open on the time allotted by the district administration, people maintain social distancing and wear masks,” Amarkesh said.
Since residents were informed about the lockdown two days in advance, they stocked up essential items. Those living in containment zones, however, found it difficult to buy even essential commodities.
Aniket Prakash, who lives in Gurhata in Patna City, said medicine and grocery shops remained shut throughout the day. “We can’t go beyond the sealed area,” he added.
Prince Mishra, a resident of Bhattacharya Road, said shopkeepers in the area kept their shutters down due to fear. “As the shops were closed, I had to walk a few miles to get the grocery items,” he said.
Marketplaces, shopping malls, religious places, public places (restaurants, eateries, zoo and parks), private offices and other establishments remained shut. Restaurants are allowed for takeaways and home deliveries. Though mobile repair shops and garages have been exempted from the purview of lockdown, very few were open on Thursday.
Manoj Singh, sales executive at a mobile repair shop, said, “I don’t think we are going to get any customer during the lockdown period.”
Some pre-paid taxis and autorickshaws were seen running on roads. Sanjay Rathi, driver of a private taxi, said, “I got only one passenger for Patna airport and two for Patna Junction.”
Meanwhile, the Bihar Chemists and Druggists Association has asked owners of medicine shops on Govind Mitra road to keep their shutters down on Saturday and Sunday when the area will be disinfected by the civic body.