Gandhinagar, Nov 20 (IANS) Even as the Gujarat government announced night curfew in Ahmedabad in the wake of increasing coronavirus cases, a similar decision regarding other major cities in Gujarat is likely in the coming days.
Additional Chief Secretary RK Gupta said that the Ahmedabad curfew will be in force from Friday between 9 pm and 6 am.
There has been a big spike in corona cases in Gujarat after the Diwali festivities, especially in its financial capital Ahmedabad. The state on Thursday decided to impose curfew in the city as a result.
There is also a significant rise in cases in other major cities like adjoining Gandhinagar, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Mahesana and others.
After recording 50 to 60 cases daily, Gandhinagar saw a sudden spike of 80 new cases on Thursday. The Gandhinagar authorities have barricaded the city’s entry and exit points to monitor traffic. The famous Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar will be closed to the public for the next three days from Friday.
“At present, we don’t have any plans to impose curfew like in Ahmedabad, but after looking at the situation in a day or two, we will decide, if needed,” said P Swaroop, Vadodara Municipal Commissioner.
“The decision on curfew in Rajkot will be taken later in the evening,” said Ramya Mohan, the Rajkot Collector.
Meanwhile, the Rajkot authorities have decided to cancel all bus services from the city to Ahmedabad from 3 pm.
Ahmedabad authorities too have decided to stop local bus services like the Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) and the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) from 8 pm on Friday. According to government sources, around 300 trips to and fro from Ahmedabad to other cities till Monday have been cancelled.
Meanwhile, the decision to impose night curfew in Ahmedabad had opposite effect to the one intended. Large crowds were witnessed in markets, defeating the very purpose of avoidance of overcrowding in the city. It made Ahmedabad authorities to order shutdown in many markets.
–IANS
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