Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (EP)
Mangaluru, Mar 21: Restrictions on vehicles arriving from Kerala began at 2 pm on Saturday, March 21, after six corona cases in Kasargod were confirmed. Traffic to Talapady highway, inner roads Devipura and Kedambadi is blocked by barricades. Police have followed the orders from the district administration in this connection.
More than 100 police personnel in the leadership of DCP Laxmiganesh and Ullal police station inspector Anil Kumar stopped traffic by erecting barricades. Vehicles of doctors, ambulance and goods trucks were given exemption. Vehicles heading to Kerala were allowed to proceed. As buses were stopped at the border, passengers had to walk from upper Talapady to lower Talapady and travelled by Mangaluru private buses. Private vehicle drivers argued with the police but police personnel said that they have to follow the orders of the district administration. “The virus has to be stopped at any cost and cases can be registered against those who do not follow the guidelines,” they said. Therefore, vehicle drivers went back.
As news that the movement of Kerala vehicles is restricted spread, some vehicle drivers started driving through Kinya, and the road in front of Devipura temple to Kasargod. The traffic density in the inner roads was more since the morning. The vehicles were avoiding corona screening booth near NH66 toll and proceeding by inner road. Therefore, the villagers kept wooden logs across the road in front of the temple and protested hindering the movement of vehicles of Kerala.
As police personnel were informed about the developments, Ullal station police pacified saying the order of the district administration will be implemented by the afternoon. “We will keep the barricades ourselves, after that,” they said. Thereafter the vehicles in inner roads were also blocked by erecting barricades after 2 pm.
Police personnel while following the orders stopped local vehicles also. Several of them showed, voter ID, DLR and RC. Those who did not have any of those documents had to remain on road.
Hotels remained closed without business. As movement of people has decreased, businessmen have incurred loss. Hotelier Ashraf said that three hotels in Talapady are closed in a month for lack of business.