Lucknow, Prayagraj, and three other cities on lockdown until April 26

PRAYAGRAJ, April 19 (HS): In light of the rising cases of the coronavirus disease, the Allahabad high court on Monday ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to close all establishments, private and government-run, in the cities of Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur Nagar, and Gorakhpur until April 26. Those that provide vital services, however, would be excluded from the order, according to the court. Financial institutions, medical and health facilities, industrial and scientific enterprises, basic services like municipal functions, and public transportation will be exempted in these towns, according to the high court’s order.

All grocery stores and other businesses with more than three employees will be closed until April 26. Medical shops, however, will remain open throughout this period, according to the HC order, which also states that all hotels, restaurants, and food carts will be closed. Marriages, religious rituals, and places of worship will also be halted. However, if a marriage has already been planned, permission from the District Magistrate of the concerned district would be needed. The number of people allowed to attend such weddings will be limited to 25, according to the high court order. Except for medical assistance and emergencies, no public movement on roads will be permitted in Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur Nagar, and Gorakhpur until April 26 or further notice.

Uttar Pradesh, one of India’s worst-affected states, has so far reported 851,620 cases, 9,830 deaths, and 650,333 recoveries from the pandemic. According to the health department’s bulletin, the state saw the largest ever single-day surge of 30,596 new Covid-19 disease cases on Sunday.