Complete lockdown in K'taka till May 24; essential services allowed for four hours [full details]

Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa on Friday announced complete lockdown in the state from May 10 till May 24. Only essential services, such as grocery, vegetable, meat and other essential stores will be allowed to operate from 6 a.m. till 10 p.m. Inter-district travel and all commercial activities has also been prohibited. All hotels, pubs and bars will remain closed during the 14-day lockdown.

The decision comes in wake of COVID surge in the state. "This decision was inevitable as the number of COVID-19 cases and related fatalities have continued to be high across the state," Yediyurappa said.

A partial lockdown was enforced in Karnataka from the night of April 27 till May 12, which restricted people's free movement, while essential shops, including liquor vends, remain open between 6 am and 12 noon.

14-day lockdown guidelines

As per the guidelines issued by the state government for its 14-day lockdown, food deliveries/takeaways will be allowed but citizens must not take their vehicles. However, people can walk, and take away liquor from standalone bars.

Pushcarts, milk booths, hopcoms will be allowed till 6 PM. There are no restrictions on e-commerce deliverables and in-situ construction. Marriages will be allowed with a cap of 50 persons & funerals with just 5 people in attendance. 

Complete order copy below:

COVID situation in Karnataka

On Thursday, a record 49,058 new Covid cases, including 23,706 in Bengaluru were registered in a day across Karnataka while 328 patients succumbed to the virus. As epi-centre of the state, Bengaluru reported 23,706 fresh cases on Wednesday, taking its Covid tally to 8,87,086, including 3,32,732 active cases while 5,47,208 recovered so far, with 4,149 discharged in the last 24 hours.

In view of the prevailing situation, Karnataka Health Minister K. Sudhakar on Thursday had hinted about a complete lockdown. He said that the state is likely to adopt more stringent measures to check the spread of the Covid pandemic, and in all probability, it may opt for a complete lockdown after the current phase of partial lockdown ends on May 12.

Speaking to the media, Sudhakar admitted that the partial lockdown has failed to break the chain of the virus in the state.