Bengaluru’s week-long lockdown starts today — check what’s allowed and what’s prohibited

• Essential services providers will be allowed to sell food, groceries, fruits, milk and other items for only seven hours starting from 5 am to 12 noon.
• Public transportation services will remain suspended during the period, which includes buses, Metro rail services and Taxis.
• During the lockdown, banks, insurance offices, ATMs and food processing and related industries will be open, except in containment zones.

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa announced a 7-day comprehensive lockdown in Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts from Tuesday. He further said the government has no plans to extend it beyond July 22.

“The lockdown is being re-imposed to control the number of Covid-19 cases in the city, which have been spiking daily since July 1,” said Yediyurappa.

Interacting with the deputy commissioners of the 30 districts across the state through video conference, Yediyurappa expressed concern over rising COVID cases in Ballari, Bidar, Dakshina Kannada, Dharwad, Gadag, Kalaburagi, Mysuru and Udupi and directed them to reduce them at the earliest.

He also advised doctors to conduct rapid antigen tests with the 1 lakh kits the state has procured for the purpose.

“Strict measures to be taken to reduce the caseload in the containment zones in all districts across the state. Health workers can be hired on a contract basis for six months to contain the virus spread,” noted the chief minister.

Here’s what allowed and what’s not allowed

• The Karnataka government will allow essential services providers to sell food, groceries, fruits, milk and other items for only seven hours starting from 5 am to 12 noon. However, aimed at minimising the movement of individuals outside their homes, home delivery of essential items will be allowed.
• Hotels and restaurants shall be permitted to operate kitchens for take away or home delivery of food items only.
• Opening of theatres, malls, bars, gyms, swimming pools is not permitted.
• Movement of inter-state and intra-state vehicles are allowed only in case of emergencies, through registration and after obtaining a valid pass from the Seva Sindhu portal.
• Public transportation services will remain suspended during the period, which include buses (KSRTC, BMTC, Private), Metro rail services, Taxis (including auto-rickshaws) and services of cab aggregators, except those hired for emergency and as permitted in these guidelines. Only flights and trains already scheduled will continue to operate during the Lockdown period, and the tickets shall serve as passes for movement of the passengers.
• All educational institutions will remain shut while online education is allowed. However, Students appearing for exams can use admission tickets as travel passes and use the mode of transport available to them.
• All religious places of worship shall remain closed to the public. Religious congregations are strictly prohibited.
• During the lockdown, banks, insurance offices, ATMs and food processing and related industries will be open, except in containment zones.
• In government offices, 50% of staff is allowed while medical services, pharmacies and unrestricted movement of goods and cargo outside the containment zones are allowed.
• All large industries, such as those manufacturing essential goods, drugs, special economic zones (SEZs) and export-oriented units outside containment zones, can remain open.
• In the construction sector, projects, where workers are available on site without the need of bringing them from outside, will be allowed to operate.

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