Covid-19: Uttar Pradesh Imposes Lockdown from July 10 till July 13

The 55-hour lockdown announcement in Uttar Pradesh comes in the backdrop of rising novel coronavirus cases in the state since few weeks. 

The Uttar Pradesh government, in its notification, said that all essential and medical services will continue to function as normal during the lockdown and there will be no restriction on the movement of people involved in these services. Only offices, markets and commercial establishments will remain closed and trains and air services will continue to operate. The restrictions in Uttar Pradesh will be in place from 10 pm on July 10 to 5 am on July 13 as to curb the spread of COVID-19 disease. 

"The curbs have been imposed in the state to check the spread of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases," Chief Secretary RK Tiwari said in the order. 

There will be no restriction on the movement of those involved in door-step delivery services either. Petrol pumps and hospitals will continue to function normally. However, barring these, UPSRTC buses would not operate anywhere in the state. 

The Yogi Adityanath government has allowed construction work on all government projects and construction work in rural areas to carry on during the lockdown period. Uttar Pradesh Police has been instructed to ensure that people follow the fresh orders by the state government during the lockdown. 

Earlier, Yogi government-led state announced a 3-day special cleanliness campaign to contain the spread coronavirus infection and other communicable diseases in the state. 

The U.PChief Minister after chairing a meeting of senior officials in Lucknow said, "the three-day special cleanliness campaign will be organised on July 10, 11 and 12 in villages and urban areas. The campaign will be organised in coordination with the departments of urban development, rural development, Panchayati raj and other institutions." 

In the order, the UP chief secretary also said the state would run an extensive sanitisation and drinking water supply consolidation drive and all the officers and employees related to the drive would be exempt from the restrictions. At the same time, the ongoing door-to-door COVID surveillance drive would continue unhindered and the industrial units in the rural areas and the continuous process establishments too would operate but with social distancing and associated COVID safety measures. 

The ongoing large-scale construction activities such as expressways, big bridges, road, PWD’s big projects, government buildings and private projects too would continue to function. The government has ordered all the district magistrates and police officers to ensure adequate surveillance and patrolling for adherence to the restrictions.