What’s open & what’s closed this weekend lockdown in Puducherry

What’s open & what’s closed this weekend lockdown in Puducherry

Puducherry has issued a weekend lockdown. File Photo from NYE 2020

The Puducherry government has announced a weekend lockdown in Puducherry . While a total lockdown was announced initially there have been a number of relaxations allowed subsequently. Here is our guide to what’s open, what’s closed this weekend:

When is the lockdown ?

Starts at 10 pm on Friday night (April 23)  and ends at 5 am on Monday morning (April 26)

Will public transport be affected ?

No. Buses, autos and taxis inside Pondy will run as usual.

Goods transport and vehicles carrying agricultural produce etc will not be affected

What about travel outside Pondicherry ?

Interstate buses will not operate on Sunday to Chennai or anywhere outside Puducherry due to the Sunday lockdown in Tamil Nadu. This is the interstate bus schedule for Saturday

interstate bus timings puducherry

Do I need an e-pass to travel between TamilNadu and Puducherry ?

E-pass is not required.

What about shops ?

All shops will be closed on Saturday and Sunday except the ones mentioned below

These shops are allowed to open till 10 pm  :

1. Milk booths 2. Groceries 3. Vegetable and fruit shops 4. Chicken and meat shops 5. Any shop dealing with food 6. Pharmacies

Are petrol pumps open ? Yes as usual.

Will liquor stores be opened? No. Liquor stores will be closed. Bars, restaurants, hotels cannot serve liquor this weekend too

What about restaurants and eateries? You cannot dine in at restaurants or hotels.

But you can take-away/ parcel food from restaurants and eateries or order home-delivery directly through the restaurants or through food delivery apps before 10 p.m.

#Supportlocal: Puducherry’s own food delivery app that features many local restaurants for safe delivery of food

Download the app here 

What about medical services ?

Medical shops and opticians are all open.

Hospitals, medical labs, ambulances, hearse services, all medical and allied activities etc will function as usual

Can I attend a wedding this weekend ?

Yes you can. But only 100 guests are permitted at weddings and 50 at funerals and last rites. We recommend staying in at home during this weekend lockdown in Puducherry as large gatherings are a source of Covid infections especially cramped air-conditioned or small indoor spaces.

What other services are open this weekend ?

  1. Banks / ATM/ Insurance / Stocks
  2. Telecom/ internet services/ IT & ITES, media, broadcasting, cable
  3. Water, sanitation, electricity
  4. Cold storage, warehouses, private security
  5. Industrial production
  6. Courts
  7. All emergency services

What’s Closed?

Everything else that’s not mentioned as open- regular shops, businesses, theatres, malls, recreation centres, tourist spots, dining in at restaurants, bars, pubs, gatherings and functions other than marriages and funerals. Avoid unnecessary travel except for essential supplies and emergencies

Why is there a lockdown ?

Puducherry has seen a steady increase in cases. On April 22, Puducherry recorded 987 cases in 24 hours. That’s higher than the 2020 peak . This week we have seen 600-700 cases registered on a daily basis. Hospital beds are filling up fast. The government has been increasing bed capacity especially beds with oxygen, but things could turn critical if our health system and hospitals are overwhelmed. We can contribute by adopting covid appropriate behaviour like wearing masks, social distancing, washing hands, getting a vaccine and avoiding crowded spaces etc

In the image below, you can compare active caseload in first wave vs second wave. This was published earlier this week. As of April 23, there are 6033 active cases of which 1297 are in hospitals

first wave vs second wave of covid in puducherry

Where can I get daily Covid updates?

Track daily Covid cases in Puducherry on our tracker here

Are there any restrictions from Monday April 26 ?

While this will be put up a separate post/ article here’s what you should know :

  1. Night curfew from 10 pm to 5 am daily
  2. Beaches open from 5 am to 5 pm only
  3. Shops , businesses and commercial establishments will close at 2 pm but essential shops like groceries, milk booths, pharmacies etc are exempted.
  4. Religious congregations/ gatherings and thiruvizhas (festivals) are banned. Religious places can remain open following Covid protocols.
  5. Liquor stores will close at 2 pm; no liquor can be served at bars/ restaurants after 2 pm

What’s the weather forecast ?

We may receive light to moderate rain this weekend.

Please stay indoors during this weekend lockdown in Puducherry ; if you must go out please wear a mask ! 

Have more questions ? Ask us on Facebook or instagram or twitter @pondy_live

PHOTO: Baskar Photography ; photo from NYE 200

CORRECTION: On April 22, Puducherry recorded 987 cases in 24 hours. A typo listed this as in two days- this has been corrected .