Thiruvananthapuram: The 48-hour lockdown-like curbs imposed by the Kerala government following unprecedented COVID-19 surge continues in Kerala. The restrictions, which came into force on Saturday, allow only essential services and emergency activities. It was a holiday for government offices and PSUs on Saturday.
The police conducted intense vehicle checks across the state since early morning Saturday to ensure that nobody ventured out on roads and public places unnecessarily. In all major thoroughfares, police personnel could be seen stopping both two-wheelers and cars and verifying the identity cards and mandatory self-declaration to know their purpose of the travel.
Though most of the people in rural and urban areas across the state had adhered to the government directives, the police registered cases against 5,371 people for violating the curb order. The police arrested 984 people and seized 36 vehicles across the state on Saturday.
The police have also registered cases against 22,703 people for not wearing the mask properly and two people for violating quarantine rules. 9,145 cases were also registered for violating social distancing protocols. So far, the police have received Rs 62,91,900 in fines.
Though the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses operated service, the number of passengers was limited in majority of the districts due to virus scare.
Hotels and restaurants remain open but in-house dining is banned and only parcel service is permitted across the state. Shops selling provisions, vegetables, fruits, and meat, are also functioning. Police sent back a group of migrant workers, who came without any self-declaration, in Ernakulam district in the morning. A case was registered against a private taxi cab, which was overcrowded, for violating the COVID protocols in Kochi, the police said.
Click here to know what's allowed and what's not in the weekend curbs in Kerala
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said further restrictions would be discussed at an all-party meeting on Monday. In a Government Order issued on April 21, the state government stated that a holiday will be declared for all government offices, banks, public sector undertakings on April 24.
Only essential services were allowed on April 24 and 25. Kerala accounted for 26,685 COVID-19 cases on Saturday and 1,98,576 people were presently undergoing treatment for the infection, as per the government figures.
Train cancellation
The Railways have cancelled some trains on Sunday and May 2, the day of counting of votes in the state. They are: Kollam-Alappuzha, Alappuzha-Kollam, Ernakulam-Alappuzha, Alappuzha-Ernakulam, Shoranur-Ernakulam, Ernakulam-Shoranur Memu services and Punalur-Guruvayur/Guruvayur-Punalur Express trains.
