Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Mar 29: Once again, despite complete lockdown imposed by the district administration to control the spread of coronavirus, crowds thronged the city's markets on Sunday March 29.

People were seen crowding at the markets in big numbers to stock up on groceries and other essentials.

At Jeppu market vicinity, milk and fruit shops were open early morning on Sunday. In Pandeshwar, vendors were seen selling goods on the roadside. Public crowded around these vendors to buy essentials.

At central market, wholesale businesses were given time up till 7.30 am. The police then warned them and got the shops closed.

At Thokkottu in the outskirt of the city shops vending milk and other small shops were opened on Sunday morning. However, the movement of people as well as vehicles was lesser than usual.

District in-charge minister Kota Srinivas Poojary on Saturday March 28 had urged people to observe social distancing as a measure to fight coronavirus. However, the scenes at the markets on Sunday morning raise concerns as most people crowded in front of shops with no apparent effort to maintain distance. Many of them wore masks as a precautionary measure.

The country has been under a total lockdown since March 25. However, almost every morning crowds have been thronging to the markets to buy essentials. The district in-charge minister has said that plans are afoot to launch an app that would enable home deliveries of groceries.