GHMC uses curfew to disinfect the city

Telangana state was under a complete lockdown and roads in the state capital and other parts wore a deserted look on Sunday as the ‘janata curfew’ proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to check the spread of coronavirus, was observed by the people.

The PM’s call was endorsed by Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao who urged people in the state to observe it till 6 am on Monday.

Since it was a Sunday, when most people anyway remain home, roads in most cities including Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Cyberabad, Warangal, Nizamabad, Khammam,

Karimnagar and Ramagundam, were empty. State-run transport buses were off the roads while Metro Rail also stopped its services.

Barring medical shops and vegetable and milk stores, bars, restaurants, grocery stores and supermarkets kept their shutters down across the state.

The Chief Minister, Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan, Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, ministers K.T. Rama Rao, T. Harish Rao, and T. Srinivasa Yadav stayed at home.

At many places police personnel could be seen discouraging those who came out of their houses from going further and explained the importance of social distancing.

In the twin cities, and towns and cities across the state, temples were closed after performing the daily rituals in the early hours.

According to transport department officials, border check posts with neighbouring Maharashtra, AP and Karnataka have been sealed, and vehicular traffic has been suspended on the Vijayawada highway.

The police stopped a private bus at Madgi near Zaheerabad carrying passengers from Mumbai to Hyderabad who were said to have returned from Dubai, and referred them for medical examination.

There was heavy police presence at Secunderabad railway station and the Mahatma Gandhi bus station and other places.

In the morning, people in most parts of the Old City of Hyderabad were stayed in their homes. Shops and business establishments were closed. There was very little traffic on the roads.

The GHMC authorities are engaged in a massive cleaning-up operation in the old city. Teams from the Disaster Response Force are spraying disinfectants in public places.

Muslim scholars have urged the community to avoid large gatherings on Shab-e-Meraj.

Later in the evening, after 5 o’clock, people came out of their homes and clapped to express appreciation for the services rendered by health personnel and doctors in the war against coronavirus.