UP govt issues detailed directives for weekend lockdown to curb COVID-19 spread

Lucknow:

All urban and rural haats, markets, galla mandis and business establishments in Uttar Pradesh would remain closed during the weekend, and on other weekdays, they will function from 9 am to 9 pm, an official said on Tuesday

The UP government on Tuesday issued detailed directives for the weekend lockdown to be observed in the state for checking COVID-19 and other communicable diseases. Chief Secretary R K Tiwari, in a letter to all divisional commissioners, district magistrates, other administrative and police officers, said the lockdown would come into force at 10 pm on Friday till 5 am on Saturday. He said all government offices would remain closed during the timings though essential services and banks have been kept out of its ambit.

“All urban and rural haats, markets, galla mandis and business establishments would remain closed during the weekend, and on other week days, they will function from 9 in the morning till 9 in the night,” the chief secretary said. The weekly closure will be on Saturdays and Sundays and weekly markets, otherwise organised on Saturdays and Sundays, would be shifted to any day between Monday and Friday, he said. All religious places would, however, remain open while following social distancing and other necessary norms.

All industrial units, including those connected with the IT industry in rural and urban areas, would remain open but social distancing and other health-related restrictions would be imposed strictly. He said movement of trains and buses of UPSRTC would continue as before. International and domestic flights would also continue. The chief secretary said that a campaign has been organised by the health department of door-to-door medical screening and surveillance which will also continue.