First unlock Sunday sees crowds back on the roads

First unlock Sunday sees crowds back on the roads

Personal distancing norms go for a toss and many people fail to wear face masks

07/09/2020

Back to business: People throng East Masi Street in Madurai on Sunday . R. Ashok

Madurai Bureau Madurai

It was like any other Sunday in the city after several weeks following lifting of the complete lockdown. There was heavy movement of people on roads and crowds thronged the markets.

M. Mohammed Najumudeen, a shopkeeper at Nelpettai, said a large number of customers visited the meat-and-fish market in Nelpettai on Sunday morning. “The crowd was almost like that of pre- COVID-19 time,” he said.

Personal distancing norms were flouted and many customers and shopkeepers failed to wear face masks, he said. “Police personnel fined all those who failed to wear face masks,” he added. Similarly, residents thronged the four Masi streets, Netaji Road and Town Hall Road with total disregard to social distancing norms.

“Relaxation of lockdown will help improve business of street vendors,” said G. Mohan, a vendor on Netaji Road.

Concurring with this viewpoint, Ashraf Yusuf, secretary of Tamil Nadu Textile Merchants Association, said that there was good footfall in textile shops on Sunday.

“Circles and squares which were earlier drawn in front of shops to maintain adequate distances are missing now,” said V.P. Manikandan, a resident of S.S. Colony.

Collector T. G. Vinay said that mask usage and personal distancing was essential to contain spread of pandemic.

“Flying squads have been deployed to ensure that everyone wears face masks. We are sensitising the public to come forward to get tested in case they display any symptom. Early identification will help to reduce the severity of the infection and help in containing the spread of COVID-19,” he added.

Tirunelveli

Residents came out for shopping and visited churches for mass.

Absence of police personnel led to people neglecting physical distancing norms. However, a policeman at the VVD intersection said there has been a tangible improvement as people voluntarily covered their faces with the masks