Residents of contained streets in Chennai worry as complete lockdown looms large

Residents are wondering whether they will be able to get their medicines, and if water suppliers will be able to come in

Published - June 17, 2020 05:06 pm IST - CHENNAI

A view of a contained street in T. Nagar

A view of a contained street in T. Nagar

Residents of Motilal Street, in T. Nagar, are worried as the complete lockdown nears. They have not been able to go out for the past three days. The street was barricaded seven days ago. For four days they were asked to sign a register before leaving the street. But three days ago, the restrictions were tightened. Though essentials like milk and water tankers have been allowed, residents are wondering if even these will be stopped.

“A young man near my house used to drop his father at the T. Nagar terminus. He was asked to sign the register while entering and exiting the street. But three days ago they would not allow him,” said Vanjula Narasimhan, a resident. The senior citizen said she used an app to get her medicines delivered at her doorstep. “I may need medicines in 10 days’ time. I don’t know if they will permit the supplier to deliver,” she said.

Motilal Street was blocked after three positive cases were identified. The street has several shops, which had started functioning after the lockdown norms were relaxed.

V.S. Jayaraman, another resident, wondered if the barricades would be removed to allow water suppliers. “We depend on water tankers for our needs. There is no clarity if they will permit essential supplies. A shop on Usman Road provided us their number to call for items. But they want us to come and pick up the groceries as they don’t have people to bring it to us,” he said.

In the beginning only the entry from Dandapani Street was blocked, but three days ago the Usman Road entrance of the street too was shut down. Residents said they were told that it was because more people had contracted the infection.

On the other side of South Usman Road, in Rangan Street, a shop owner had tried to isolate some of his employees after they tested positive for COVID-19. B. Kannan, a resident of the street, and secretary of the T. Nagar Residents Welfare Association said he had objected to it. There are dozens of big shops with hundreds of employees, all of whom are housed in apartments that the shops have purchased in the residential streets off Usman Road.

“The big shops on Ranganathan Street and Usman Road have hundreds of employees. We suggested that they rent a marriage hall and make it an isolation centre for their employees. One shop has 14 apartments in our complex. I was against the shop owner using it as isolation centre. We have an 82-year-old woman who had recently undergone surgery and is vulnerable to COVID-19. Since we were adamant the idea was dropped,” he said.

Mr. Kannan has also requested State Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan to update ward-wise and street-wise COVID-19 cases to enable neighbours inside apartments and houses, especially the elders, to take precautions.

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