The Kerala government imposed a triple lockdown in the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram from Monday for a week following a spike in the cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the district.
As the lockdown started from 6am, police seized many vehicles and arrested several violators in the morning.
The announcement about the triple lockdown on Sunday came hours after K Surendran, the state’s tourism minister, said the district was ‘’sitting on an active volcano’’ with rising number of Covid-19 cases.
Surendran had also said that there was no guarantee that there would be no community spread.
“Triple lockdown will be implemented in the city corporation limit for one week starting from tomorrow. People should not venture out. We need strict restrictions to contain the spread of the virus. During triple lockdown, there will be more restrictions. Only necessary services will be allowed,” Surendran was quoted as saying by news agency PTI on Sunday.
“There will be no public transportation. Only medical other essential shops and hospitals will function. People can go to medical shops with a proper prescription,” he said.
Surendran, who is also in charge of the district, said the courts would remain closed. The state government has also decided to conduct more antigen tests in the district to check the spread of the virus.
The minister’s office had also warned of action against those who venture out unnecessarily.
Surendra also said the restrictions in force in containment zones would be tightened and food delivery boys would be tested.
State police chief Loknath Behera said all the roads leading to the city would be closed and only essential services will be allowed to ply.
“No vehicle movement will be allowed inside the city. In the corporation limit, only medical shops and essential shops like provisional stores will be allowed,” Behera was quoted as saying in a release.
“Rest of the establishments will be closed. The state secretariat and other government offices will remain closed,” he said.
Kerala University has declared all examinations will be cancelled in view of the lockdown.
There are 5,427 Covid-19 cases in Kerala and 27 people have succumbed to the disease so far.
