With Madurai city registering over 50 COVID-19 positive cases so far, the Madurai Corporation has started distributing passes in three colours -- yellow, pink and blue -- to the residents of the city, aiming at preventing crowding at markets.
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A senior Corporation official said that the distribution of passes to around 2.7 lakh households will be completed within three days and the system will become operational after a formal announcement from the civic body.
Passes will not be distributed to residents within the containment zones, where volunteers are deployed by the civic body to help in distribution of essential commodities to the residents.
Different colour passes will be distributed within each ward of the Corporation. Those holding yellow passes can come out on Monday and Thursday, pink passes on Tuesday and Friday, and blue passes on Wednesday and Saturday. None of the residents will be allowed to come outdoors on Sunday. But there will be no restriction in movement in case of any medical emergency.
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The pass holders can come out between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. Only one member of a family can have the pass and will be allowed to come outdoors. Only those aged between 18 and 60 will be permitted to use the pass. The pass holders must wear face masks and follow personal distancing while they go out to markets and grocery shops, said the official.
“Despite repeated announcement from the civic body and the police personnel, a large number of residents throng the vegetable markets and grocery shops, where personal distancing is almost absent. By restricting the number of residents who come outdoors, we are aiming to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the city,” said the official.