C'garh: People observe 'Janata curfew';shops shut, roads empty

Residents of Chhattisgarh supported the 'Janata curfew' call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as roads and streets remained empty all over the state on Sunday. All commercial establishments, except some medical stores, remained shut in the state capital Raipur, and other cities including Durg, Bilaspur, and Raigarh.

The bus services, including the state-run and private ones, remained inoperational. Other public transports, like auto-rickshaws, also remained off roads. People stayed indoors in all big towns of the state in view of the prime minister's call to the nation to observe 'Janata curfew' from 7 am to 9 pm on Sunday as part of social distancing amid the coronavirus threat.

In Raipur, places of worship, including the famous Mahamaya temple, were closed. Police personnel deployed all over the town were seen wearing masks or covering their mouth and nose with handkerchiefs.

The state government earlier invoked Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in all urban areas, including the Raipur Municipal Corporation, to discourage assembly of people in a bid to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. So far, there has been one confirmed case of coronavirus in the state.

Schools, colleges, universities, anganwadis (state-run women and child care centers), public libraries, swimming pools, cinema halls, multiplexes, water parks, malls, coaching centers, clubs, beauty parlors, spas, and gyms, have been shut down across the state. According to a senior health official, "of the total samples sent for testing till Saturday, one tested positive while 133 came out negative".

Reports of 10 others were awaited, he said. The state government on Saturday ordered to keep all its offices, except those providing essential and emergency services, shut till March 31.

Liquor shops, bars, and restaurants will be closed from March 23 to 25 across the state. Operations of inter-state buses, both to and from the state, and city buses in urban areas have been stopped.