Telangana extends lockdown till May 29

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao announced the extension of the lockdown in the state till May 29 but with relaxations in rural and municipal areas.

Rao, who was speaking on Tuesday night, said majority opinion in the state is in favour of extending the lockdown. “We are extending lockdown in our state till 29th May. We will definitely implement it seriously. Night curfew will be there in the entire state. At any cost. There will be serious curfew after 7 pm,” he told reporters.

Telangana is flattening the curve and it should be brought to zero, he said.

Out of the 33 districts in the state, Hyderabad, Medchal and Ranga Reddy districts (which largely form the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation area) are the cause of concern with regard to the spread of the virus, he said. Rao said 66 per cent of the total cases in the state are reported from the three districts.

Six districts in the state are in red zone but the other three districts (except Hyderabad, Medchal and Ranga Reddy) may move out of the red zone in the next few days, he said. Fresh cases are also being reported from the Hyderabad, Medchal and Ranga Reddy districts, he added.

The state government would implement the guidelines issued by the Centre with regard to activity in red, orange and green zones, he said.

Shops related to construction activity and shops selling essential commodities would remain open, he said. Agriculture activity and related shops would remain open, he said. He said all shops in mandal headquarters and villages below that level (broadly rural areas) in green and orange zones can be opened.

In municipal towns, only 50 per cent of shops would be allowed to open, he said.

Rao said he will hold a review on May 15.