Day hours appeared more normal on Tuesday, the second day of lockdown 4.0, as the state government ordered relaxations outside containment areas.

So, besides shops of essential items such as medicines, grocery and vegetables, private offices and outlets selling hardware and sanitary fittings and stationery items also rolled up their shutters on Tuesday, the first time since the nationwide lockdown began on March 25.

However, night curfew is in force between 7pm and 7am.

Vehicles were also seen in greater numbers on Main Road, Harmu bypass, Kadru, Upper Bazar, Kutchery and Purulia Road, among others.

Outside liquor shops, which the state government has allowed to open from May 20 onwards, employees drew white circles for buyers to stand on to respect social distancing while buying booze.

People gave mixed reactions over the relaxations.

“I’m happy I could purchase exercise books for my children’s new academic session,” said a resident of Kanke Road. “They have online classes but without writing their lessons down, retention is poor.”

Sanjay Kumar, a resident of Hinoo, was worried about the lack of plumbers. “Shops of sanitary fittings are open, but plumbers are still missing in action. Without plumbers, the entire purpose of opening shops selling sanitary items is futile,” Kumar, who bought a tap for his wash basin from a shops at Argora, said.

Ranchi SSP Anish Gupta said the police had to remain more alert today.

“We had to see if people are taking social distancing seriously and not misuse the relaxations in the lockdown because we are all living amid the pandemic. Vehicles moving without passes were caught,” SSP Gupta said.

DC on migrants

Ranchi DC Rai Mahimapat Ray on Tuesday held a meeting with circle and block development officers of the district and directed them to help migrant labourers reach their homes.

Regarding precautions during relaxation, he said migrants coming from the red zones should be sent to institutional quarantine and those from orange and green zones to home quarantine. On the workers reaching Ranchi, he asked officials to provide each with a ration kit worth Rs 550 before allowing them to leave for home quarantine.

Law varsity office

The National University for Study and Research in Law (NUSRL) also opened its office on Tuesday. NUSRL vice chancellor Kesava Rao said he opened the varsity office to dispose of urgent work that had piled up during the lockdown.

“Thirty-three per cent of the employees have been called in to complete urgent pending work. All academic activities are online,” Rao said, adding that he was in home quarantine.