Raipur’s weekly markets, gyms shut as COVID-19 cases surge

Raipur, Apr 04: Amid a surge in fresh Covid-19 cases in Chhattisgarh's Raipur district, the administration has ordered the closure of weekly markets, gyms, and swimming pools, beginning Sunday, an official said on Saturday.

The administration also ordered that shops and business establishments in urban areas of the district will remain open in staggered timings while cinema halls and multiplexes will have to be shut by 8 pm.

On Saturday, Raipur collector S Bharathi Dasan issued fresh guidelines which will come into effect in Raipur and Birgaon municipal corporations and other civic bodies of the district from Sunday, the public relations department official said.

As per the order, the operation of all kinds of temporary and permanent shops, shopping malls, departmental stores, business establishments and food carts will be allowed to remain open from 6 am to 6 pm while restaurants, dhabas and hotels can function between 6 am and 8 pm.

Earlier, the district administration had allowed shops to function till 9 pm and permitted restaurants, hotels and dhabas to remain open till 10 pm for indoor dining.

"All weekly markets, gyms and swimming pools will remain closed till further orders. Cinema halls and multiplexes have been allowed to operate till 8 pm while liquor shops will be opened till 6 pm in the district," the order said.

Petrol pumps and medicine stores have been exempted from the new set of restrictions, it said.

All businessmen, their employees and customers will have to wear masks and ensure strict compliance with the social distancing protocol in the business premises. Violation of guidelines would result in the closure of concerned shops for 15 days and attract legal action, the order said.

Raipur district's caseload stood at 68,404, including 930 deaths, until April 2. The number of active cases in the district stands at 8,437, as per the official data.

The local administration had already imposed section 144 of the CrPc, which bans the assembly of four or more people, in several districts, including Raipur, Durg, Bastar, Rajnandgaon, Bilaspur and had also announced various restrictions to contain the spread of the infection.