People remained indoors for the third day in a row in the twin south coastal Andhra districts of Prakasam and SPSR Nellore on Tuesday as the authorities strictly enforced lockdown to curb the spread of dreaded coronavirus.
Shops and other business establishments remained shut. So were the public and private sector organisations in the two districts. Arterial roads in Nellore and Ongole wore a deserted look. State-owned and private buses were off the road.
Nellore District Collector M.V. Seshagiri Babu and Superintendent of Police Bharat Bhashan led a large number of functionaries in regulating the movement of people who came out of their homes for a while during morning and evening hours, wearing masks or covering their mouth and nose with hand kerchiefs.
Barricades were put at arterial traffic junctions including mini-bypass and Mulumudi bus stand centre. Only those having valid reasons for travel like medical emergency were allowed to proceed by the police.
Sale of vegetables
The district administration decided to organise sale of vegetables and other essential commodities at the VRC grounds in Nellore on Telugu New Year day to avoid people coming into close contact with each other as jostling by people in congested markets went against the concept of social distancing.
In Ongole, heavy rush of people was witnessed at, among other places, the Bapuji Market Complex, Gandhi Road, Rythu Bazaars at Lawyerpet and Kothapatnam as the denizens vied with each other in purchasing essential commodities on the eve of Ugadi festival.
Police personnel were on their toes, restricting people's movement in, among other towns like Kandukur, Markapur, Giddalur, Kanigiri, Yerragondapalem, and Chirala in Prakasam district.
