KOLKATA: Fear of the invisible virus, that has afflicted thousands and claimed several hundred lives across the state, stopped people from stepping out of their homes on Thursday, ensuring a complete lockdown.
Unlike the earlier phases of lockdowns, when police had a tough time keeping people off markets and streets, the dramatic spike in infection and fatalities in Kolkata and the suburbs in the past month saw people voluntarily staying indoors. Even trouble-prone neighbourhoods that traditionally pose a challenge to policing wore a deserted look. While cops zealously cracked down on violators in the morning, they admitted that people’s participation in Thurs-day’s lockdown came from the fear of Covid.
The fear was not without reason. Kolkata saw 795 fresh Covid cases and 19 deaths in the past 24 hours — the highest single-day spike for both — even as the the state’s total Covid caseload crossed the 51,000 mark with the addition of 2,436 new infections.
As spooked citizens stayed home, vehicular traffic dropped to just 10% of what was witnessed last Thursday and travel time from Tala to Esplanade dipped to less than 30 minutes. Even lanes and by-lanes, where two-wheelers plied with impunity and people huddled at street corners all through April and May, saw only a few residents venturing out. A mere 5% of two-wheelers plied and only ambulances, police vehicles, cabs carrying fliers and a handful of buses ferrying health workers were spotted on the roads.
The only buzz of activity was at hospitals, where patients continued to be wheeled in with unfailing regularity.
To many, the deserted streets and shut shops brought back memories of the political bandhs in the ’80s and ’90s which were enforced with a heavy hand. But on Thursday, no cadres were required to keep the city shuttered.
Markets that had seen crowds all through the prev-ious lockdowns were firmly shut as were neighbourhood shops selling groceries and knick-knacks. Special police teams were present at 56 markets, which had all their entry points blocked.
As many as 289 people were arrested by early morning for violating the lockdown. In a Bhowanipore neighbourhood that has witnessed many Covid-19 cases in the past three months, cops seized goods from a couple of shops that had opened in the morning. In Kankulia Road, a vendor selling fish on the pavement was packed into a police van and the names and contact details of his customers noted down.
“Anyone who violates the lockdown protocol and opens shop or loiters around will be prosecuted under the Disaster Management Act,” the police announced in the city’s lanes and bylanes.
The police had earlier identified 28 areas where special teams comprising five officers were posted to ensure lockdown compliance. A 30-member roving team also monitored the entire city. Vehicle owners who couldn’t provide credible reasons for venturing out will be sent notices, the cops said.
The decision to enforce a twice-a-week total lockdown was taken at an emergency meeting last week after health experts said the state was experiencing “some specific community transmissions” of the novel coronavirus.
Unlike the earlier phases of lockdowns, when police had a tough time keeping people off markets and streets, the dramatic spike in infection and fatalities in Kolkata and the suburbs in the past month saw people voluntarily staying indoors. Even trouble-prone neighbourhoods that traditionally pose a challenge to policing wore a deserted look. While cops zealously cracked down on violators in the morning, they admitted that people’s participation in Thurs-day’s lockdown came from the fear of Covid.
The fear was not without reason. Kolkata saw 795 fresh Covid cases and 19 deaths in the past 24 hours — the highest single-day spike for both — even as the the state’s total Covid caseload crossed the 51,000 mark with the addition of 2,436 new infections.
As spooked citizens stayed home, vehicular traffic dropped to just 10% of what was witnessed last Thursday and travel time from Tala to Esplanade dipped to less than 30 minutes. Even lanes and by-lanes, where two-wheelers plied with impunity and people huddled at street corners all through April and May, saw only a few residents venturing out. A mere 5% of two-wheelers plied and only ambulances, police vehicles, cabs carrying fliers and a handful of buses ferrying health workers were spotted on the roads.
The only buzz of activity was at hospitals, where patients continued to be wheeled in with unfailing regularity.
To many, the deserted streets and shut shops brought back memories of the political bandhs in the ’80s and ’90s which were enforced with a heavy hand. But on Thursday, no cadres were required to keep the city shuttered.
Markets that had seen crowds all through the prev-ious lockdowns were firmly shut as were neighbourhood shops selling groceries and knick-knacks. Special police teams were present at 56 markets, which had all their entry points blocked.
As many as 289 people were arrested by early morning for violating the lockdown. In a Bhowanipore neighbourhood that has witnessed many Covid-19 cases in the past three months, cops seized goods from a couple of shops that had opened in the morning. In Kankulia Road, a vendor selling fish on the pavement was packed into a police van and the names and contact details of his customers noted down.
“Anyone who violates the lockdown protocol and opens shop or loiters around will be prosecuted under the Disaster Management Act,” the police announced in the city’s lanes and bylanes.
The police had earlier identified 28 areas where special teams comprising five officers were posted to ensure lockdown compliance. A 30-member roving team also monitored the entire city. Vehicle owners who couldn’t provide credible reasons for venturing out will be sent notices, the cops said.
The decision to enforce a twice-a-week total lockdown was taken at an emergency meeting last week after health experts said the state was experiencing “some specific community transmissions” of the novel coronavirus.
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