The Manipur capital sprung to life on Monday with most shops, except the three Ima markets, reopening and people coming out to shop after lockdown relaxations were announced.

The roads that were deserted for over a month were congested with many government and private vehicles plying.

An order issued by chief secretary J. Suresh Babu on Sunday night said all markets except the three Ima markets would be allowed to open. Public movement would be allowed between 6am and 4pm daily. There will be public curfew between 6pm and 6am on all days until further orders.

Among the shops that reopened here on the first day of the third phase of lockdown were hardware, stationery, apparel and book stores. Humble plastic ropes tied across entrances at many places served as reminders of social-distancing norms.

With the state being in the green zone, many shopkeepers were just happy to reopen after nearly two months of downing shutters, although several of them expressed concerns over supplies of stock in the short term and changed consumer behaviour in a world upended by the pandemic in the long term.

“We’ve not had too many customers so far. It’s the first day of opening the shop since we shut it on March 22. Today has been more or less about cleaning and dusting the shop,” said Gurinder Singh owner of Blue Bell, one of the oldest apparel stores here.

Appreciating that some shops had blocked their entrances with ropes to maintain social distancing, N. Rajesh, who came to buy a part of water pump, said, “It is reassuring to see something like this as we have the fear of the disease while stepping out of home. We have to remember that social distancing is the best medicine to the coronavirus pandemic so far.”

Manipur police detained 24,436 lockdown violators and collected Rs 23,04,690 as fine between March 25 and May 3.

Thoubal superintendent of police S. Ibomcha said the district had detained the highest number of people who defied the lockdown protocol during the period. A primary reason for this is that the Indo-Myanmar highway and the road to Kakching district pass through it, he added.

“Many people use the highway. Besides, there are many inter-village roads used by villagers,” he added.