Night curfew will be imposed in Lucknow from April 8 in view of the rising COVID-19 cases. The curfew will come into effect from April 8 and shall continue till April 16 as per orders issued by the district magistrate. The duration of the curfew will be 9pm to 6am. It will be followed in all areas under the city municipal limits but not be applicable to the rural peripheries.
Outside the curfew hours, there will be permission to function with COVID protocols and essential services shall remain functional. Grocery, milk, gas cylinders, petrol, diesel and medicines will be available without interruption.
Those government and semi-government employees serving night shifts shall be exempt from the curfew as shall be those who provide essential services. Those who are travelling from the airport, railway and bus station shall be able to pass by showing their tickets. There will be no restrictions on goods carriers.
Earlier in the day, the chief minister had instructed that districts which have more than 500 active cases can have night curfew at the discretion of the respective district magistrates. He had also called for strict action against crowded places saying that these should be sealed if they do not follow COVID guidelines.
Of the districts which are reporting the highest number of cases in the state, Lucknow is at the top, and Varanasi second.
Schools, colleges and coaching centres in Lucknow have been shut down. On Tuesday the Lucknow university asked students to vacate hostels. Those who would not were warned that they would not be permitted to leave the premises.
Orders for night curfew have also been issued in Kanpur. These will be effective from April 8. Varanasi will be put under a similar curfew with attendance at the arti at the ghats being strictly monitored.
The state has so far reported 6,03,495 COVID cases, with 1,176 being reported in the last 24 hours.
