In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Delhi along with 75 districts and counting, have been put under a lockdown. A lockdown is an emergency protocol that prevents people from leaving a specific area.
Apart from New Delhi: Maharashtra, Kerala, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, Karnataka, Telangana, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, West Bengal, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Puducherry and Uttarakhand have also been put under a lockdown till March 31.
Everything that will remain open during this period:
– All essential and emergency services will be functioning during this period. This includes hospitals and pharmacies.
– Grocery stories, dairies and ration shops will remain open. There will be no shortage of necessities, so there is no need to hoard on supplies.
– ATMs will remain open.
– Petrol pumps will stay open during this period. So vehicles can still make emergency runs.
– Electricity and water boards will stay functional, so you can social distance in the comfort of your home.
– Food delivery services will stay open, restaurants can continue with a take-away function. This means that online food services like Swiggy, Zomato and others will remain functional.
– The DTC buses plying on the streets shall cater to the conveyance needs of the personnel employed in emergency services.
– No document or proof will be sought from a person if they say that they are out on streets to provide or avail any essential service. So if you need to make emergency errands or return to your family, you will not be questioned. However, you may be checked for symptoms.
– Inter-state travel in personal vehicles is allowed in case of emergency. If you are returning to your family or are a government official, you will be allowed to pass through once checked for symptoms.
A list of everything that will remain shut during this period:
– All private offices will remain closed but the employees – both permanent and contractual – will be considered to be on-duty. The companies will have to provide them the salary for this duration.
– No public transport services including operation of private buses, auto-rickshaws, rickshaws, and e-rickshaws etc shall be permitted. Only DTC buses shall operate at not more than 25% capacity to cater to personnel engaged in essential services.
– Ola, Uber and other cabs have cancelled their services during this period.
– Places of worship and religious gatherings will remain closed.
– Shopping malls, gyms, retail stores and movie theatres will remain closed.
– Inter-state travel, including busses and metro has been suspended.
– All domestic flights into Delhi have been banned.
– All passenger train services on Indian Railways including premium train services, mail/express trains, passenger trains, suburban trains, Kolkata Metro, Konkan Railways, etc have been cancelled for this period.
– Trains that begun their journey prior to 4.00 am on March 22 will run up to their destinations and stop at their final station.
In New Delhi, section 144 has also been imposed which bans the gathering of more than five people. However, the extent of the lockdown varies from state to state, depending upon the orders that will be passed by the authorities. It is our duty as citizens to be responsible right now and stay inside our home. Practicing quarantine during this period will help those who are trying to control the spread of coronavirus, deal with the situation better.
