The Karnataka government on Sunday afternoon announced that 9 districts in the State will be under lockdown till March 31, barring essential services. It also announced the imposition of Section 144 across the state for 3 hours – between 9 p.m. (when the “Janata curfew” will end) to 12 midnight.
The nine COVID-19-affected districts are Bengaluru, Bengaluru Rural, Mysuru, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada (Mangaluru), Dharwad, Belagavi, Kalaburgi and Chikkablapur.
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Announcing these measures after attending a meeting chaired by Chief Minister B. S Yeddyurappa, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that there will be no commercial activity in these districts till March 31.
The minister however clarified that grocery stores, milk vendors, vegetable shops as well as medical services can remain open. Agricultural activities will be allowed to continue while auto and taxis will function. Factories will be allowed to function on alternate days. All inter- district transport in the nine districts under lockdown will be stopped till March 31. Public transport like Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses and metro services will not operate till March 31.
