Chowk Bazar, one of the biggest vegetable markets in Darjeeling town, was cordoned off on Friday and a single designated entry point was marked to regulate the footfall.

Sources said Darjeeling police had started regulating entry to Chowk Bazar from 6.30 am in the morning.

Police personnel were stationed with thermal scanners to check people’s body temperature, after which their entry was allowed.

The decision to regulated the footfall at the market was taken following a sudden surge in the footfall. All seven entry points to the market were sealed by the police and people could enter only through the southern end and exit from the northern side of the market.

The police have also set up check points at Bokshi Jhora and Singmari in Darjeeling.

The police arrested 57 people, including women, for alleged lockdown violation. “They have been booked under Section 51B of the Disaster Management Act (refusal to comply with government direction) and Section 188 of the IPC (disobedience to order promulgated by an officer),” Darjeeling Sadar police station inspector-in-charge T.S. Nath said.

Sources said people who were not wearing masks as mandated by the government had also been hauled up.

Thirty-eight vehicles were turned away from two check points in Darjeeling for trying to enter the town without any valid reason.