The state government has exempted banks, ports and the National Highway Authority of India from the 18-hour curfew that was imposed in the state from Wednesday.
A government ordinance changed the curfew to allow banks to operate at their normal hours. NHAI and port development work may also be carried out at their normal times. According to the guidelines issued on Tuesday, people who work in these exempt organizations are also exempt from the curfew. Most banks were already open until 2 p.m.
In the meantime, the curfew that was imposed triggered a good response from the public as the streets were deserted shortly after the curfew began at noon.
While all business activities and public movements were allowed from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., only emergency services and organizations and officials providing emergency services and their staff are exempt from the curfew, which runs until May 18.