Weekend lockdown in UP to continue till further orders: CM Yogi

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UP Lockdown
UP Lockdown

Lucknow : As coronavirus cases continue to rise in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Aditiyanath has decided to implement strict lockdown on weekends.

A fresh Unlock guidelines for the state were declared on Sunday,"The lockdown on weekends will be implemented from the coming Saturday and Sunday especially in the crowded areas. The markets and offices will remain closed on these days. However, the banks will remain open

Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Awasthi informed, “This is being done basically to stop the spread of infection through unwanted physical movement. Economic activities will, however, not suffer."

The lockdown will remain effective in both urban and rural areas of the state.

"The lockdown will be implemented the month of July," added Awanish Awasthi. 

It is worth mentioning that this is the second time the state government is going for a blanket lockdown since the Centre started lifting the restrictions in May. Earlier, the state had enforced extra restrictions in pockets and containment areas, and sealed borders with Delhi at Ghaziabad and Noida. It has already enforced a 55-hour lockdown this weekend, which started from 10 pm 10 July, which would continue till 13 July 5 am.

Shops and business establishments, other than those dealing in essential services, remained closed in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday and Sunday.

Only vehicles carrying essential goods were seen plying, as tempos, taxis and government buses did not operate.

Policemen were posted at all prominent crossings of state capital Lucknow and other cities.

The coronavirus tally in Uttar Pradesh crossed the 35,000-mark after the state recorded the highest single-day spike of 1,403 cases on Saturday.

The number of active cases is 11,490, while 22,689 people have been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the infection, Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said.