As second wave ebbs, BBMP mulls relaxing night, weekend curfews

BBMP will be holding discussions with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa

With the drop in daily Covid-19 cases, the civic body is considering relaxations in the night curfew and weekend curfew.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta on Friday told media persons that the civic body is considering relaxing the rules in the coming days.

“Currently, Bengaluru has recorded less than one per cent positivity rate and we have been conducting over 65,000 tests on a daily basis. Besides, on an average, about 70,000 to 80,000 people are being vaccinated on a daily basis,” he said.

Also read: Karnataka revises daily vaccination target as supplies dwindle

He said a decision will be taken on the night and weekend curfews after holding discussions with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. “We may relegate it to the zonal commissioners’ level to decide on areas where relaxations can be allowed,” Gupta added.

He said the civic body is also considering opening up shopping malls with a few initial regulations and subsequently open the cinema halls with conditions.

Requests from trade bodies

The considerations follow pleas from various trade bodies to open all the sectors.

Gupta said the government is also mulling opening larger markets with the only caveat that traders should do business in open areas.

“Some shops have been allowed to open in Chickpete and we are assessing if it is possible to allow all kinds of businesses in the vicinity,” he said.

No untraceable patients in active cases list

The BBMP has decided to drop patients it has problems tracing from the active case list.

“Several Covid positive patients have given us the wrong address and we are unable to get through to them after three months,” Gupta said. “All cases are considered active cases to date, but from now on, they will be dropped from the active list,” he said.

On June 26, DH ran a story with the headline “40,000 missing Covid-19 patients worry Bengaluru”.

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