With residents crowding grocery and vegetable shops, city police on Wednesday mulled various options to ensure that social distancing was maintained at commercial hubs during the 21-day curfew period.
A particular locality in which a patient died of COVID-19 was fully barricaded, forcing other residents of the area to remain indoors. “CCTV cameras have been installed and police personnel have been deployed to discourage people from coming out and mingling with the crowd outside,” Commissioner of Police S. Davidson Devasirvatham said.
People thronged Masi and Marret Streets to buy groceries in the morning. They could also been in vegetable markets at various places in the city.
“However, the number of vehicles came down drastically in the afternoon after the purchases were over,” Mr. Devasirvatham pointed out.
Police personnel, who had been deployed at important junctions across the city, advised people not to venture out of their homes unnecessarily.
A police officer said that many came out of their houses just out of curiosity to see the deserted roads.
“We have booked several such people under the Motor Vehicles Act,” Mr. Devasirvatham said.
In some places, police detained youth on the streets for a while before letting them off with warning.
Police were making efforts to erect barricades on the streets. They also tried to screen people’s need to venture out and granted permission only if they had genuinue reasons.
Similarly, they were also trying to ensure that customers maintained social distancing at shops. “The customers should cover their mouth and nose with a handkerchief to be allowed to stand in the queue,” a police officer said.
The shopkeepers had already been advised to cover their faces.
Meanwhile, Anna Nagar Uzhavar Santhai remained closed on Wednesday due to lack of bus services for farmers to bring their produce.