This was the first Sunday the city is resuming regular life since the pandemic induced lockdown that came into effect in March this year.
After observing complete lockdown for eight continuous Sundays, Tamil Nadu allowed the regular functioning of shops, restaurants and shopping malls since the beginning of this month. September 6, the first Sunday of the month, in Chennai, looked nothing short of a usual busy weekend, with shoppers scuttling in and out of stores and the roads pulsing with busy traffic.
This was the first Sunday the city is resuming regular life since the pandemic induced lockdown that came into effect in March this year.
TNM visited Chennai’s shopping hub T Nagar on Sunday to find roads packed with parked vehicles and residents, some with their masks on and most without, walking in and out of stores. Big format shops like Saravana Stores, Pothys, Nalli and the likes saw a good crowd on Sunday evening.
Somasundaram park after police patrol cleared the crowds
Earlier on Sunday, pictures showing hundreds of youngsters at Somasundaram park, most without face masks, in T Nagar went viral on the internet. Public health expert, Pradeep Kaur, took to Twitter to appeal to the public to maintain physical distancing and to stay at home as much as possible,
“If #COVID19 spreads fast – it strains the health systems, health care workers and all frontline workers who are working day and night to serve you!,” she warned.
Speaking to TNM, a police official from Pondy Bazar police station says that officials visited the grounds to disperse the crowd. “Patrol teams are doing regular rounds in different areas, clearing crowds as and when they form,” she added.
According to Tamil Nadu government’s latest directive, shops and essential services can stay open until 8 pm daily with parcel service allowed until 9 pm. Shopping malls, playgrounds, showrooms and big format stores too have been allowed to function with 100% capacity, following SOP.
Beginning Monday, public and private buses will be allowed to ply between districts across Tamil Nadu. Intra-state train services too will resume post September 7.
Source: The News Minute