Lucknow: Cantt core army area ‘complete lockdown’ brings life to standstill
The Central Command had announced a ‘complete lockdown’ on Saturday, a day after 12 persons were found coronavirus positive in Kasaibada locality of Sadar area in Cantonment, which is near the army core area.
The ‘complete lockdown’ in Lucknow Cantonment’s core army area brought life to a standstill on Sunday. Not only the army personnel were affected, but the move badly affected the population of more than 50,000 civilians residing in, and nearby, the core area.
The Central Command had announced a ‘complete lockdown’ on Saturday, a day after 12 persons were found coronavirus positive in Kasaibada locality of Sadar area in Cantonment, which is near the army core area.
Though emergency services and supply of essential goods like milk and vegetables were excluded from the 48-hour lockdown (from Saturday midnight to Monday midnight), the civilians of the area termed it even worse than curfew.
Other than the core army area, areas like Tope Khana, Rajman Bazaar, Bahadur Shah Road, Kastoorba Road, Sardar Patel Road, Subhash Marg, some parts of Nehru Road, Sanjog Kshetra Vihar Colony, Nirbhay Vihar Colony etc were affected by the lockdown.
“The population of around 50,000 to 80,000, largely civilians, got badly affected during the lockdown that was initiated without giving prior information,” said Pramod Sharma, former vice chairman, Cantonment Board, and present member of the board.
Sharma, who resides in Tope Khana Bazaar area, said fearing the complete lockdown, the shop owners dealing in essential goods and groceries who used to open their shops during the national lockdown, didn’t turn up to open their shops.
“Not a single shop opened today (Sunday), be it medical store, grocery shop or those dealing in milk, bread, eggs etc. The market remained completely closed,” added Sharma.
He said the army should at least allow movement of locals, including families of defence personnel, till nearby vegetable markets. Some civilians called it even worse than curfew as most of them were not even allowed to move out of their houses to but medicines from medical stores. Some locals also blamed army personnel for restricting their movement within the colony premises. “We were asked to stay indoors. Two army personnel took control of the colony gate and asked us to stay indoors. They also restricted the entry of cleaning staff,” a resident of Nirbhay Vihar Colony said.
Defence officials said the decision was taken as a precautionary measure, which is part of the exercises that are being conducted pan-India to reduce contact with civilians and outer environment after the coronavirus outbreak.
Under the move, some practices like banning the entry of civilians into unit lines, sanitising persons and vehicles, distancing oneself from individuals and limiting interaction are being followed across the country to check ‘contamination’ among soldiers.
Gargi Malik, public relations officer (PRO), defence, said, “No curfew has been imposed in Cantonment area. Yes, there is a ‘complete lockdown’ in Cantonment since March 25, except for essential services. And following the detection of coronavirus positive cases in Sadar, it has been declared ‘out of bounds’ for army personnel.”