The Karnataka government released an order on May 1, which permitted Horticultural Producers' Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society (HOPCOMS) stores and milk booths to remain open from 6 am to 6 pm. The order also allowed fruit and vegetable pushcart vendors to sell their produce from 6 am to 6 pm.
As a measure to prevent crowds, the order further stated that markets will be restricted. And along with milk booths and HOPCOMS stores, pushcart vendors–following COVID-19 protocols– will be permitted to sell their produce at the proper market rate from 6 am to 6 pm. However, APMC yards and provision shops will only remain open from 6 am to 12 pm.
Earlier, after the lockdown in Karnataka was declared and came into effect on April 27, essential shops were only allowed to remain open from 6 am to 10 am. However, several areas in Bengaluru, and the state, saw people crowding at the shops during those hours.
The lockdown in Karnataka came following a massive surge in the number of new COVID-19 cases. It was aimed at curbing the increase and was implemented from April 27 evening.
Karnataka reported a total of 40,990 fresh COVID-19 cases on Friday, taking the total number of active COVID-19 cases in the state to 4,05,068 according to a bulletin released by the Department of Health & Family Welfare, on Saturday. According to the same bulletin, a total of 271 deaths were reported in the state. The positivity rate (number of people who tested COVID-19 positive for every 100 tests done) was 23.03%.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru reported a total of 19,353 new COVID-19 cases and 162 deaths according to the bulletin released on Saturday.