Delhi locked down from 6 am on Monday in view of the growing novel coronavirus threat. The lockdown will be in place till midnight on March 31.
The announcement was made at joint press conference of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lt Governor Anil Baijal on Sunday.
The total number of coronavirus cases in the national capital on Sunday increased to 30, Delhi’s health department said. These 30 cases include six people from outside the city— two from Kolkata and one each from Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. Out of the total 30 cases, five were discharged, one died earlier and one migrated out of the country.
What does the lockdown mean?
Transport: Delhi’s borders have been be sealed and no public transport will operate, including private buses, taxis and autorickshaws.
Services of Ola and Uber will also not be available till March 31.
Inter-state buses, trains and Delhi metro services are suspended till March 31.
While the Delhi government’s order says all domestic and international flights have been suspended, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has said domestic flights to and from Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport will continue to operate and the airport will remain functional.
Essential services: related to health, food, water and power supply will remain available.
Dairies, grocery shops, chemists and petrol pumps will remain open.
Services like print and electronic media, telecom, internet and the post will remain open.
All shops, commercial establishments, factories, workshops , offices, godowns, weekly bazaar, etc. shall close their operations during this period.
Restaurants are allowed to provide takeaway and home delivery.
Persons associated with essential services will be allowed to go to their destinations during the lockdown.
DTC buses shall operate at not more than 25 per cent capacity to cater to personnel engaged in essential services.
Restrictions: Any congregation of more than 5 people is prohibited and punishable by law.
All construction activity is suspended.
All religious places are closed.
People have to stay home and can only come out for basic services in the vicinity of their residences while practicing social distancing.
District magistrates of Delhi have been directed to make sure that 35,000 foreign-returned persons, who have been staying in the city since March 1, remain in home quarantine for a minimum period of 14 days.
Everyone who came in contact with these persons shall also remain under home quarantine and all the cases found positive with COVID-19 infection shall mandatorily remained in the isolation facility of hospital till being discharged by a treating doctor, the health department’s order says.
Any person found violating this shall be prosecuted and punished with imprisonment or fine or both under the sections of the IPC as per the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897.