Telangana: Partial lockdown may be imposed

Hyderabad: Partial lockdown like night curfew, operation of film theatres and offices with 50 per cent occupancy and work from home to the employees suffering from co-morbidities are likely among the fresh Covid restrictions to be in force in a day or two in the State. More Covid restrictions are likely to be imposed in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits which reported more than 1,000 positive cases every day.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao convened a cabinet meeting on Monday to discuss the third wave of the Covid pandemic and its impact on public health. Official sources said that the possibility of imposing partial lockdown in the form of night curfew and the opening of commercial establishments, which draw huge crowds regularly, for a limited time is under active consideration.

The Government is also mulling to limit the gatherings at function halls, multiplexes, bars and pubs to prevent the fast spread of corona virus. The number of Covid cases spiked to nearly 3,000 per day. The official predictions say that the positive cases may cross 5,000 in a week's time. The government is finalising an action plan to impose certain restrictions on the movement of people in the next two weeks.

"The visit of people to entertainment zones -cinema halls, multiplexes, clubs etc will also be restricted. The Greater Hyderabad limits, including Medchal and Rangareddy districts, will be under close watch in view of the huge number of cases reported on a daily basis," officials said.

The options of restrictions on public transportation, like TSRTC-owned bus services and Metro Rail services would also be discussed in the cabinet meeting. "Though Covid cases are on the rise, hospitalisation is on the lower side. The government will have to enforce lockdown measures strictly," said a Medical and Health official.