With TN going into lockdown, people raise concerns over food, transportation

In view of a surge in Covid cases in Tamil Nadu, a complete lockdown was enforced today. Only essential services are allowed and only fewer people were seen on the road.

“As we are staying in the mansion, we used to eat at the nearby mess but due to lockdown, everything is closed. I don’t have any vehicles and there is no public transport too, so have to walk more than a kilometer to buy food. Unlike other days, the shop keepers did not make us wait, within five minutes they gave the food,” said Sankar, a resident of George Town, Broadway.

With no public transport not operating in the city, a group of sanitary workers was waiting for more than an hour as there is no vehicle to return home. They said that the local body officials promised they would send a separate bus to the nearby bus depot.

“We came to work at 6 am, even when we were coming it was difficult to find a bus. Though there were one or two buses functioning the morning none of them stopped. The officials promised that they would send a bus for us to drop at Mint bus depot, we waited for more than an hour and nothing has shown up. So, now we have walked from Broadway to Mint bus stop,” said Sarala, a sanitary worker.

Meanwhile, all food retailers are worried that there is a dip in business on a Sunday. As there would be more sales on weekends and due to raising in Covid cases people are scared fearing the spread of infection.

Aslam Babu, Manager of SS Hyderabad Briyani, Royapuram Branch said, “Every Sunday, the shop will be overcrowded from 10 am, but even at peak hours we did not receive any order, it is completely dry. Though there is no proper sale we are planning to remain open till 10 pm as per government instruction.”

He added that only less than 40 percent of the staff is working today, and they have been following Covid protocols.