The Karnataka government is working with the Centre to get Bengaluru classified into three or four zones to get more lockdown relaxations.

“Despote being a red zone, lockdown was partially relaxed in Bengaluru due to strategic importance of the city,” said S Suresh Kumar, Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister.

The Minister added, “Relaxation of the lockdown was necessary due to city being an administrative and a state capital. It was not due to fund crunch or life and livelihood issue.”

Currently, a panel headed by Revenue Minister R Ashok has been tasked to work out a mechanism with Centre to get the city classified into three or four zones.

Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Commissioner, Department of Health and Family Welfare, said: “The classification of zones is not an one-time act. The Centre has told the State that it will be on weekly assessment based on the number of cases, doubling rate of cases, number of tests carried out and surveillance mechanisms.”

“So based on our performance, and as city has just two hotspots, we expect to get relief in the next weekly assessment,” he added.

Total cases

The city currently has nearly 153 containment zones and reported 150 positive cases, 75 discharges and currently has 68 active cases. The city so far has reported six Covid and one non-covid deaths. Hongasandara and Padarayanapura – the two hotspots in Bengauru continue to keep the city on tenterhook.

Fee Bus Service Extended

Karnataka’s Chief Minister, BS Yediyurappa, said on Sunday that 951 KSRTC buses were provided and around 30,000 people have travelled to their respective hometowns.

“On Monday, already around 1,500 passengers have commenced journey. As many as 550 buses from Bengaluru and 400 buses in other cities in the State have been provided for transport of migrants,” he said.

Around 16,500 passengers have returned to their homes in 550 buses on Saturday.

Yediyurappa announced that free bus service for migrant labourers, is operating smoothly and has been extended for two more days. The bus service was scheduled to end on Tuesday (May 5), but for the convenience of migrant workers and others, this facility is extended till Thursday (May 7).

Suresh Kumar said Karnataka’s finance Department has issued GO on considering all Anganwadi workers/ helpers, police officers/staff, home guards, civil defence force, fire brigade staffs/officers, jail staffs, municipal / sanitary workers, related vehicle drivers/ loaders to be covered under the “Pradhana Manthri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana” and are eligible for Rs 30 lakh relief, if they are involved and died due to COVID-19 infection.

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