With most of the hotels stopping takeaway service, and all grocery and vegetable sellers stopping business at 10 am, Hubballi entered a near lockdown-like situation on Saturday.
In the morning hours, shops selling essential commodities made brisk business, while queues were seen in front of some hotels. Roads also had moderate traffic.
The situation changed fast from 10 am onwards, and the city came to a standstill.
Police patrolled across the city and made announcements asking people not to venture out unnecessarily. They also asked people at the railway station and bus stand to maintain social distancing.
The wholesale vegetable market at the APMC was closed, while vegetable vendors of Sarafgatti and other market places were allowed to do business at Giranichawl ground till 10 am.
After 10 am, busy junctions like Chennama Circle wore a deserted look, and only a few private passenger vehicles and auto-rickshaws were on the roads. NWKRTC suspended bus service to rural areas, but long-route, city, and BRTS buses moved with less frequency and with only a few passengers.
Hospitals, medical shops, ATM centres and petrol pumps remained open.
(Published 24 April 2021, 07:38 IST)
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