Lockdown to be lifted on April 15, need mechanism to ensure no crowding: Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said the lockdown to contain coronavirus spread will be lifted on April 15. He however, called for a mechanism to ensure crowding doesn't take place. Holding discussion with Members of Parliament from the state through video-conferencing, the chief minister sought their suggestion for smooth movement of people and services after the lockdown period.
"Lockdown will be lifted on April 15. We have to ensure that crowding doesn't take place. Your help and cooperation is needed in this regard. The reason is that after the lockdown is lifted and if crowding takes place, then all of our efforts will go in vain," Adityanath told the MPs. "So, I want that we evolve a mechanism, and for this, I would invite your suggestions," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while speaking to chief ministers on April 2, had pitched for formulating a common exit strategy to ensure "staggered re-emergence of the population" once the 21-day nationwide lockdown ends.
Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Mahendra Nath Pandey, who attended in the video conferencing, told PTI, "We spoke with the UP chief minister and he told us about the work done and steps taken by the state government during the lockdown. The video conferencing continued for nearly an hour."
He said the MPs praised the chief minister for the good work done by the state government. "We are doing all our work, while adhering to the lockdown," he said.
The nationwide 21-day lockdown started on March 25.
(With PTI input)
