Govt. imposes 8 pm to 5 am ban on vehicular traffic in capital

Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) has announced the decision to impose a temporary ban on vehicular traffic in the greater Male’ region from 08:00 pm to 05:00 am as a measure to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

In a press conference at the HEOC on Saturday, Chief Superintendent of Police Abdulla Shareef said the ban on vehicular traffic from 08:00 pm to 05:00 am will be in effect in Male’ City and suburban Hulhumale’ and Vilimale’ starting Sunday.

Shareef said that violation of the ban order will be met with a MVR 1,000 fine.

“We will take measures to impose this. As such, people driving vehicles between 08:00 pm and 05:00 am will be reprimanded, it it’s the first violation. The second violation will be met with a fine. And as an additional measure [to respond to repeated violations] vehicles will be towed. Vehicles that are towed will not be released until the fine is paid,” he said.

While vehicular traffic will be banned in the greater Male’ region from 08:00 pm to 05:00 am, pedestrian traffic will be allowed until 10:00 pm, in accordance with a previous order for a 10:00 pm to 05:00 am curfew in the capital.

The additional restriction on public movement follows a surge in coronavirus cases with the relaxation of the lockdown in the capital – the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Maldives – in July.

Maldives has 6,660 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 96 new cases recorded on Saturday. 4,113 patients have since recovered, while 26 have died from complications.

The country currently has 2,521 active cases. 169 coronavirus patients are hospitalized.