Chennaiites throng temples as Tamil Nadu eases lockdown curbs

But for places of worship, no big crowds thronged any of the facilities that opened on Tuesday, for the first time after five months since the country shut down following the Coronavirus scare, as people welcomed the relaxations to the lockdown with caution.

Soon after temples, churches and other places of worship were cleaned in the morning, they were opened for devotees, who started trooping in adhering to the Coronavirus prevention norms like wearing facemasks, maintaining social distancing and using sanitizers.

Though government buses started running from the morning, patronage was very poor on day one with some of the buses going literally empty. Malls and big shops too did not draw the usual crowds as they switched off the central air-conditioning facilities and insisted on adherence to norms.

The only spots where crowd management was difficult and social distancing could not be strictly enforced were the lifts in big buildings. Both office and commercial multi-storied buildings saw jostling crowds outside the lift doors and also people cramming the interiors of the cabin.

Roads, too, were filled with vehicles, particularly with buses started plying. Traffic signals started working like normal times, causing snarls at many places and police men too were engaged in regulating the flow of vehicles.

Along with the increase in the number of vehicles on the roads, parking problems cropped up at many places. Too many vehicles were left on the sides of the roads at key points of commercial interest, at times causing traffic problems, too.

In all public places, wearing of facemasks was stressed upon and people without masks were not allowed into business establishments and offices. Body temperature was checked with infrared thermometer guns and people were also asked to clean their hands with the sanitizer kept at the entrance.

In most commercial establishments, staff were entrusted with the job of regulating the queues with a view to maintaining social distancing and ensuring mask wearing.

Those bus terminuses in Chennai that were converted into impromptu vegetable markets during the prolonged lockdown were cleaned up and buses were operated from there.

After inspecting Pallavan Illam, the headquarters of the city bus corporation, and the facilities there, Transport Minister M R Vijaybaskar said that the government was operating only 6090 of its 22,000 strong fleet on Tuesday.

‘We would increase the number of buses as and when the demand for buses increased,’ Vijaybaskar told the media, adding that the city buses would be allowed to carry only 24 passengers and mofussil buses  32 passengers at a time.

Some modifications have been done inside the buses to ensure that passengers did not crowd in front of the bus and go near the driver’s seat. Both the conductor and driver have been provided with masks and gloves.

Passengers have to board the bus through the back entrance after using the sanitizer to clean their hands and then move towards the front. For disembarking they would have to use the front entrance.

Vijaybaskar said the buses would go only up to the city or district border. Beyond that, passengers can walk a distance and catch other buses that would take them up to the next border. Buses would be operated till 9 pm, the Minister said.

To a question on monthly passes for bus travel, he said those who had taken passes in March could use them till September 15. For travel from September 15, passes would be issued from Wednesday, he added.