Normal life was resumed in Jammu today with the opening of the shops and restoration of private transport as per the guidelines laid down by the government for the 4th phase of covid19 lockdown extended till May 31.
Falling in orange zone, the administration in Jammu granted permission to the opening of shops, though the barber salons and restaurants remained closed.
Amid the lockdown, several essential and non-essential shops remained open throughout the day even as police nakas at several places continued to exist and various roads remained barricaded to check the movement of commuters.
The shopkeepers in Raghu Nath Bazaar opened first time in the last two months. “The administration has given permission to us, and it is our responsibility to follow the set norms to avoid contracting this virus,” president, Raghunath Bazaar Association, Surinder Mahajan said.
He said it was a great customer rush but people were enthusiastic. “We interacted with each other though the business was tiny.”
“As per the guidelines, theatres, barber salons and liquor shops are closed while the rest of the businesses opened,” Mahajan said. On Bypass Road from Narwal towards Kunjwan, the motor showrooms were also opened.
Police on the roads were ensuring that the commuters were wearing facemasks and following the guidelines set by the government for two and four wheelers.
“We opened our restaurants for packing purpose and home delivery only,” Owner of Taj Hotel, Talab Khitikan, Ashiq Hussain told Greater Kashmir.
He said: “We have closed the hotel rooms and we opened the restaurant for takeaway orders.”
He urged the administration to give permission to the hotels to open rooms for the customers. “We will ensure that the guidelines are followed properly.”
The schools, colleges, and universities remained closed. However, the schools have already started taking online classes.
As per the categorization of districts under covid19, Jammu has been placed under orange zone where the authorities have given relaxation to the shopkeepers, both essential and non-essential to operate their businesses. The government has allowed free movement of people though barber shops in municipal limits have been asked not to open.