Recreational and retail segment in India witnessed a 77 per cent drop in community movement over the last month owing to the coronavirus pandemic according to Google’s latest Covid-19 Community Mobility Reports.

Google on Friday released its Covid-19 Community Mobility report to provide insights into how the pandemic has cut down on foot traffic to retail stores, transit centres and public parks in over 130 countries.

In India, places such as restaurants, cafes, shopping centres, theme parks, museums, libraries, and movie theatres witnessed a major drop- 77 per cent drop in traffic between February 16 and March 29 as compared to the movement of people at these places between January 3 and February 6.

Visits to national parks, public beaches, marinas, dog parks, plazas, and public gardens dropped by 57 per cent.

The movement has reduced significantly post the nationwide lockdown imposed from March 24 to combat the Covid-19 pandemic n the country.

Although the government guidelines allowing for movement of people regarding essential goods and services, places such as grocery markets, food warehouses, farmers markets, speciality food shops, drug stores, and pharmacies in India noted a 65 per cent drop in traffic.

Work and residential places saw a 47 per cent and 22 per cent drop in visitors respectively.

Google is using location data gathered from smartphones to provide these insights. The data is based on Google Maps users’ location history, which by default, is turned off on their phones.

Google aims to help public health officials understand how people’s movements have changed owing to Covid-19 pandemic.

“Google prepared this report to help you and public health officials understand responses to social distancing guidance related to Covid-19,” the search giant said in an official blog post.

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