Four-day lockdown in Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore not to be extended: TN govt

The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday said the four-day total shutdown in Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore Corporation limits ending by today will not be extended. It also announced a relaxation in the business hours of shops selling essential items including vegetables for April 30, saying they can function from 6 AM to 5 PM.

Amidst rising Covid-19 cases in the state, Chief Minister K Palaniswami had on April 24 announced a complete shutdown from Sunday (April 26) in Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai for four days, disallowing grocery shops as well and fully curtailing movement of the public. The shutdown in the corporation limits of Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore, scheduled to end by Wednesday night, will revert to the pre-April 26 conditions, an official release here said.

On Wednesday, the government announced extending the business hours of shops selling essential items for Thursday, saying it will be applicable only for tomorrow. "On April 30, to enable people buy essential items like vegetables, fruits and grocery, shops selling these will be allowed to remain open from 6 AM to 5 PM," the release said.

However, business hours will be curtailed from 6 AM to 1 PM from the next day, May 1, in adherence to the lockdown conditions announced earlier. The government urged the people to strictly follow social distancing while buying the essential items, besides asking them to remain patient and calm during shopping.

"People are directed to wear masks," while visiting the shops, it said cautioning them against the contagion. Incidentally, people had given a go-by to all social distancing norms on Saturday, a day before the total lockdown kicked-in in the said cities and resorted to panic buying by swarming markets in Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai to purchase essential commodities.