Virus fails to deter festive crowd
Bhubaneswar: Markets in the city witnessed heavy crowd on Friday as people came out for Raja shopping. When people violated social distancing norms, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) sealed several shops and market places.
Almost all shopping places and garment stores in the city received heavy footfall on the eve of the Raja festival. People were behaving like there is no Covid-19 fear and social distancing went for a toss.
“Tomorrow we will observe Raja festival. As we will wear new dresses and prepare sweat cakes and dishes during the three-day festival, we have come here for purchasing new dresses from Market Building,” said Mrunmayee Senapati of Unit-9.
Though the state government extended the curfew hours from 7pm to 10pm on Friday, keeping the Raja shopping in mind, the people did not wait for night and crowded different market places like Unit-II Market Building, Unit-1 market and other hubs in the city.
Even people also crowded vegetable markets and ration shops as the weekend shutdown will start from 10pm on Friday. “I knew that people will come in large numbers to the markets and social distancing norms cannot be maintained, but I have to come for shopping for my daughters,” said a government employee.
Though some shops controlled and manages the crowd, several others found it difficult to manage.
Keeping this situation in mind, the BMC conducted surprise checks at different market places and shops in the city.
Besides, the BMC squads created awareness among people at other market places to maintain social distance and use masks while coming to shops or markets. The corporation has already sealed 35 shops for violating social distancing norms.