Heavy traffic on roads in Salem

05/05/2020, STAFF REPORTER,SALEM

The crowd on roads on first day following relaxations was in stark contrast to the precautionary measures advised by the governments.

It was traffic as usual on roads here on Monday with many people stepping out of their houses to report at offices and for other services. Automobile workshops, hardware and spare parts outlets and other non-essential businesses started functioning from Monday.

Long line of vehicles were noticed at automobile workshops for periodical maintenance and other services. Long queue was also noticed at super markets, mobile phone outlets and electronic appliances store, raising concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19. Several mobile outlets arranged chairs outside their stores for customers to wait maintaining physical distance.

V.Shakthi, who was waiting at a grocery store, said, “Many are not wearing masks and physical distancing has not been taken seriously by the public.”

P.L.Palanisamy, secretary of Salem District Hotel Owners Association, said, that only less number of hotels and bakeries had opened only for takeaways. However, the industry had suffered huge loss due to lockdown and it was not profitable to operate only with takeaways.

P.Thangadurai, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) said that vehicle checks would be focused mainly on city borders and vehicles coming in from outside the district would be checked. Those coming into the district would be quarantined at the facility set up at Karuppur Engineering College and they would be tested for COVID-19.

“We have quarantined about 200 persons till date here and if the results are negative, they will be advised home quarantine for 14 days,” he said.

S.Deepa Ganiger, Superintendent of Police, said checks had been intensified at 20 check-posts here and they were mainly checking for inter-district travellers and those returning from Koyambedu market. Revenue and health officials were alerted regarding suspicious cases and quarantine facilities had been set up at multiple places in rural limits.