Police on Saturday made announcements to make people aware of the restrictions from Sunday morning while citizens crowded markets and queued outside liquor stores to collect their stocks that would last at least till the fortnight.
Concern over helps
Many Calcuttans, who depend on helps and have security guards posted at their apartments and housing complexes, expressed concern on how they would report to duty from Sunday.
Helps and guards — who are part of the private sector — are essential to many, especially the elderly. Although there is no specific mention about helps or security personnel on Saturday’s
notification, many The Telegraph spoke to have either asked their helps to stay with them or have discontinued their services. Several housing complexes have arranged accommodation for security guards.
Last-minute shopping
People crowded market places on Saturday evening to stock essentials.
“The market timings has been halved. To avoid that crowd, I decided to stock some groceries,” said Anil Mukherjee, a resident of Maniktala.
Maniktala, Gariahat, Lake Market and Jadu Babu Bazar were teeming with last-minute shoppers on Saturday evening.
Liquor lines
Thousands of people stood outside liquor shops across the city from 5pm on Saturday following the announcements of the restrictions that included closure of retail liquor shops from Sunday. But many returned home empty-handed because either the stock got exhausted or the store had to close by 7pm.
At least six-seven liquor shops had to be closed down in the Gariahat and Ballygunge area as hundreds of people were still standing in queues waiting after 7pm. “We explained to them about the 7pm deadline. They were disappointed but abided by the rules,” said an officer of Ballygunge police station.
Cop announcements
Police across the city were engaged in making public announcements about the restrictions that would be in place from Sunday 6am.
A senior officer in the central division said, announcements were made in market places about the revised timings from 7am to 10am when markets would be open and about the restrictions on movement of private vehicles except for medical emergencies or essential services.
“We are requesting people to stay indoors...,” said an officer.