OdishaPlus Bureau

The state government today enforced a 48 hour total shutdown of Bhadrak, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack respectively. During the total lockdown, all the essential goods and services shops (which used to be open during near total lockdown in force from 23rd March onwards) have been ordered shut. The police has requested people to strictly abide by the norms and stay at home for their own safety. The announcement comes in the wake of the fifth coronavirus affected patient being identified at Bhadrak and the sixth such case of the state being identified at millenium city Cuttack.

Lockdown

The announcement further states that this 48 hour shutdown should be treated as a curfew and hence no shops or markets and other establishments will be kept open for the public. Even medicine stores will be kept closed during the shutdown. To address the emergency needs of the people, the state government will soon come out with a list of a few medicine stores that will remain open for the public.

Only goods trains have been kept out of the purview of this shutdown. The DCP has instructed citizens to stay at home and not venture out. He informed that all passes issued earlier stand invalid during the shutdown and the police will issue fresh passes for the shutdown period of 48 hours.