Hyderabad: Forty-five days of lockdown has been given a bit of relaxation on Tuesday by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
As per new lockdown guidelines by the government, manufacturing of essential goods, the opening of hardware shops, opening of liquor shops and e-commerce activities are only allowed for essential goods, while only 50% standalone grocery and essential shops had been allowed to remain open until 6 pm. This is followed by the night curfew till morning.
The city in its third phase of lockdown seems to witness some increase in traffic from Tuesday.
Mr. Anil Kumar, Additional Commissioner, Traffic Police, told siasat.com, “There is a slight increase of vehicles on roads from the past two days. It is noticed that the migrant workers are going to police stations for their e-passes to travel to their native places. The other reason is the opening of liquor shops. More people are coming out to buy the drink of their choice which they were mission. The other significant reason is that construction workers have begun to resume work. That is why you see so many vehicles materials and men moving around.”
On the other hand, many vegetables and fruit sellers have begun to put up their ware on footpaths, lanes and by-lanes. Customers in large number, mainly because of the Ramadan, are seen thronging these makeshift shops.
Siasat.com noticed that while the sale of haleem, a favourite dish during Ramadan, has been stopped owing to lockdown, its cottage industry has come out on the roads quietly. At several traffic junctions and lanes many men were spotted selling haleem. They are also selling other items such dahibada and dates either on their bikes or by putting up small foldable sale counters.
“Life is coming back to the city slowly. If the government allows businessmen to sell clothes and restaurants reopened, the hectic activity that is associated with Ramadan would return to the city,”said M Krishna, a teach of mathematics who lives in Vijayanagar colony, said.