The streets across Kashmir wore a deserted look on Sunday in view of weekend lockdown, imposed to contain surge in COVID-19 cases even as the life remained disrupted in other parts of the UT.
Shops and other business establishments were closed across J&K and the public transport was also off the roads. Only the vehicles associated with essential services were allowed to move.
The 64-hour lockdown came into force on Friday IN Kashmir in afternoon in the summer capital Srinagar and in Jammu after 9:00 pm ,
Since Saturday morning, police had erected barricades at roads across Kashmir to check the movement of traffic.
The police vehicles fitted with the Public Address System (PAS) were making announcements, urging the people to stay indoors and follow COVID-19 related guidelines.
The decision to impose a 64-hour lockdown was taken on Thursday by the J&K government after the sudden spike in COVID cases. The administration directed all shopkeepers and traders in commercial areas like Lal Chowk and other key markets of Kashmir to close their shops and business establishments. However, the shops bracketed under essential services were seen operating normally.
All the roads and market places, including Lal Chowk, were sealed early Saturday morning to prevent movement of people. Senior civil administration and police officers could be seen on roads taking stock of implementation of restrictions in place. Senior officials of the divisional administration said that people cooperated during the lockdown.
Officials said restrictions were being implemented strictly and the people were also cooperating with the administration. They said night curfew would continue to remain in force from 9 pm to 6 am with complete restriction on non-essential movement.
“There shall be a complete restriction on non-essential movement during weekends in the entire Jammu and Kashmir,” the government order had said.
Meanwhile, in another capital city i.e., the public transport plied normally as no restriction was placed on that. Similarly, the dhabas and other shops categorised under essential services remained open. However, all other shops and business establishments remained shut. Jammu Chamber and WareHouse traders have already announced to observe weekend lockdown as per government guidelines.
Non-essential movement, however, was strictly prohibited all across the city and adjoining areas.
In other parts of the region, the majority of roads and markets remained deserted in the wake of weekend lockdown.