Lockdown begins, Chennai roads deserted as residents stay indoors – The Hindu

With the fortnight long lockdown in place, the city roads saw lesser traffic and commercial establishments in Anna Salai, Broadway, T. Nagar, Purasawalkam remained closed and people continued to stay indoors.

More than 35 flyovers were closed for vehicle traffic movement. Unnecessary traffic movements were blocked on roads. City Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal has issued instructions to be followed by police personnel during implementation of lock down.

Police personnel have been deployed at vantage points for bandobust including Amma Unnavagam and fair price shops. More number of police personnel have been deployed at Koyambedu market, Kasimedu market area.

Police warned that legal action will be taken against violators for not wearing face masks and non-maintenance of physical distance. Legal action will be initiated by traffic police against vehilclists roaming unnecessarily.

Over 10,000 police personnel have been deployed for bandobust duty. Vehicle checks are being conducted at nearly 320 places by the city police. About 360 patrol vehicles are also doing the rounds.

“The police personnel should be polite while enforcing lockdown and at no cost external force should be used. Using of lathi by any rank is strictly prohibited during enforcement of lockdown, except in case of self defence,” said Mr. Jiwal.

In a set of instructions, he said the police personnel should wear masks and also carry 100ml sanitiser with them. (Sanitiser 100ml will be provided by the headquarters). They should frequently use the sanitiser while on duty. Police personnel on duty should ensure that essential commodities which include medicines, vegetables, milk, provisions are transported without any hindrance.

Police personnel have been advised to use public address systems to sensitise the general public with regard to physical-distancing and wearing of mask. They should also brief them about the number of cases reported in the city each day.

Assistant Commissioners have been told conduct meetings with the representative of shopkeepers to ascertain that physical-distancing (circle mark) is maintained in shops and not to entertain the public without masks and not to entertain more than 50% of customers at a time. The officers should also ensure closure of the shops at 12 p.m. and render all cooperation to the police personnel for successful implementation of lockdown.

Drones can be effectively used to monitor long open stretches such as beaches. The movement of oxygen cylinders to be facilitated by both traffic and local police personnel. The vehicle checking at the check points should be so organised that the vehicle carrying essential commodities are not blocked or delayed on any cost, for that purpose a separate lane system may be used, the city police commissioner said.

The instruction also said the Traffic/Local police will avoid physical contact with the individuals violating traffic, the photographs of the violated vehicle to be taken as a document to register a case and also the vehicle secured to be released as early as possible. To avoid physical contact, such personnel should wear face shield and frequently use sanitiser/soap with water.

Officers should be on rounds in their jurisdictions to prevent any untoward incidents. Deputy Commissioners / Joint Commissioners / Additional Commissioners should stagger timing in a way that adequate presence of senior officers in the field is felt.