RAWALPINDI – The city district administration has decided to put another eight densely populated areas of the district under smart lockdown from June 30 (Tuesday) as the number of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) cases is rising.
According to a notification issued by the Rawalpindi district administration, eight hotspot areas including Gulzar-e-Quaid, Khyban-e-Sir Syed, Dhoke Ali Akbar, Kotha Kalan, Morgah, Takhat Pari, Nankari Bazar and Bara Market here would be placed under the ‘smart lockdown’ for 10 days.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Capt (r) Anwar ul Haq said the smart lockdown was being imposed in these areas to control the spread of Covid-19. As part of the lockdown, he said the movement of locals would be restricted while businesses – except of essential commodities – would be closed.
He said the administration, on the directive of the government of Punjab, was taking safety measures for prevention and control of coronavirus.
All markets, shopping malls, restaurants, offices, (public and private) would remain closed in these areas. There would be a complete ban on movement of people into and from these areas by public and private transport except for limited movement of one person per vehicle to and from the exempted facilities, he added.
The DC said there would also be a complete ban on gatherings of all kinds for social, religious, or any other purpose at any place, public or private throughout these areas. Grocery stores, general/karyana stores, atta chakkis, fruit and vegetable shops, tandoors and petrol pumps would be exempted and allowed to work during 9 am to 7 pm.
Similarly, all medical services and pharmacies/medical stores, laboratories and collection points, hospitals and clinics would be allowed to remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Milk shops, chicken and meat/ fish shops and bakeries would also work during 7 am to 7 pm.
The notification revealed that large departmental stores would only keep their grocery/pharmacy section open with all precautionary measures while all other sections would remain closed during complete lockdown period.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) against coronavirus would strictly be implemented to control spread of the disease in these areas.
