Mangaluru: The police barricaded the Central Market area after the deputy commissioner issued an order banning activities around it, after scores of complaints that Covid guidelines were being ignored by people in the area.

All street vendors had to shift to the pavements near the Town Hall to sell vegetables, where crowds appeared with more Covid protocol violations.

The district administration on Thursday had directed the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) to strictly prohibit the trading of vegetables, fish and other business activities at the market.

Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Dr Rajendra K V at the meeting had asked MCC Commissioner Akshay Sridhar to enforce rules immediately to prevent large gatherings and violations. No one was permitted to sell anything around the market and any such activity was illegal, he said.

The wholesale business of vegetables and fruits had been shifted to the APMC yard in Baikampady. "No wholesale business should be carried out in the Central Market. The MCC should initiate steps in ensuring the sale of vegetables and fruits in all wards to avoid large gathering of people," he had directed.

The DC had directed the traffic police to regulate movement of vehicles in and around the market.

In a tweet, the MCC said, "Central market area and its surroundings are now closed in the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic. Wholesalers have been asked to use the facilities of APMC markets and the retailers had been asked to use different markets across the city."