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From suspending metro services to deploying additional cops, states across the country are ramping up measures to encourage people to stay indoors on Sunday, March 22, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a ‘Janata Curfew’.
In his address to the nation Thursday on the coronavirus pandemic, PM Modi appealed to people to observe a self-imposed curfew on Sunday by not stepping out of their homes between 7 am and 9 pm. From Sunday onwards, all international commercial passenger flights will also be barred from landing for a week.
In a nearly 30-minute telecast, he said the March 22 ‘Janata Curfew’ would be a test of people’s “self-discipline” in fighting the virus. The only exception to the curfew would be doctors, media and providers of other essential services, and the PM urged people to thank them for five minutes at 5 pm on March 22 by ringing bells, clapping or other means.
The Health Ministry Friday stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for Janata curfew on Sunday will help break the chain of transmission in the country.
On account of the Janata curfew, all long distance trains, some 1,300 in number, scheduled between 4 am and 10 pm Sunday will remain cancelled, and frequency of suburban trains in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Secunderabad will be on a “minimum level.. only to cater to essential travel requirements,” the Indian Railways has announced.
Also, all passenger trains originating between midnight of March 21 to March 22 will not be operating. The IRCTC has also decided to shut its food plazas, refreshment rooms, cell kitchens and such static units indefinitely and onboard catering services in mail/express trains will be suspended from Sunday.
Delhi Metro rail services will remain suspended on Sunday, a measure aimed at encouraging people to stay indoors in keeping with the “Janata Curfew”.
In a statement issued by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, it said: “In the wake of ‘Janta Curfew’ to be observed this Sunday, it has decided to keep metro services closed. The move is aimed at encouraging public to stay indoors and maintain social distancing, which is essential in the fight against Covid-19.”
Metro’s decision to suspend all services on March 22 also comes a day after it issued an eight-point advisory, urging people to avail its services “only when it is essential and unavoidable”.
Meanwhile, the Bengaluru Metro rail services will also be closed on Sunday, announced the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation. “This is to encourage the public stay indoors to maintain social distancing and is essential to counter the spread of #COVID19,” it said in a statement. Chief Minister has also asked all bars and pubs to remain closed till March 31 and directed all hotels and restaurants to close dine-in facilities on March 22.
In line with the Delhi metro advisory, the Bengaluru Metro has also asked commuters to “use metro for unavoidable travel only,” announcing further that it will leave alternate seats vacant, and restricts passengers below 10 years and above 60 years as a precautionary measure against Covid 19.
Metro rail services in Jaipur will also remain shut on March 22, as part of measures taken to enforce the ‘Janata Curfew’.
The Department of Manipur Administration, Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD) has ordered the shutdown of major market places in Imphal valley including the three iconic ima markets (exclusive women’s market) in the city for five days starting Saturday.The department also directed deputy commissioners of all the six districts in the Imphal valley to close their main markets particularly the ima markets and street vendors.
The shutdown directive was issued in the wake of advisory of the “Janata Curfew” announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Stating that the primary concern of the government is to protect and save the lives, the Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has urged the people to extend their full co-operation.
Haryana, meanwhile, has decided to shut down roadways buses from 7 am till 9 pm Sunday. Section 144 CrPc, which restricts the gathering of over 14 people at a time has also been imposed from Friday.
In order to enforce the Janata curfew, BJP leaders in the state are distributing pamphlets, meeting traders associations, village heads, asking people to follow the PM’s directive. In a revised advisory regarding Section 144 CrPC, the Haryana cited the possibility of moving to the community transmission stage of Covid 19 pandemic “as with the rest of the country.”
To maintain law and order in the district while the ‘Janata Curfew’ is in place, 39 Duty Magistrates will be deployed across Gurgaon district on Sunday, with 6 more being kept in reserve.
The Gujarat Catholic churches have decided to join the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clap or ring plates from their balconies, doorways and windows to appreciate people at the frontline risking their lives in treating and testing the patients for novel coronavirus. Church bells will ring at 5 pm in all Roman Catholic churches of the state– in Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Vadodara– as a mark of gratitude to those working round the clock to keep India safe from the spread of the Covid19 pandemic.
Urging state governments to ensure compliance of the curfew on Sunday, Modi had said, “22nd March will be the symbol of our effort, our self-restraint, our resolve to fulfil our duty in the service of the nation. The success of the people’s curfew, and the experience gained from it, will also prepare us for upcoming challenges… During this curfew, we shall neither leave our homes, nor get onto the streets and refrain from roaming about in our societies or areas.”
The PM said he wanted people to give him their “coming few weeks and your time”, and to show “resolve” and “restraint”.
Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation, the Congress extended support but criticised him for not suspending the ongoing session of Parliament and demanded more steps. Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien said the PM should have first addressed Parliament. In the states, Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said: “Our government is with the PM… We have taken all stakeholders along to fight this virus, including Opposition parties…”
The Janata curfew is meant to restrict civil movement in a bid to prevent the transmission of novel coronavirus. The Imperial College’s COVID-19 Response Team suggests two “fundamental strategies” to tackle the coronavirus spread.
The first is mitigation, focusing on slowing the epidemic spread so as to reduce peak healthcare demand while protecting those most at risk. The second is suppression, which aims to reverse epidemic growth by reducing case numbers to low levels and maintaining that situation indefinitely.
But it presents major challenges. Mitigation, which will be a mix of home isolation of suspect cases, home quarantine of those living in the same household as suspect cases, and social distancing of the elderly and others at most risk, could potentially reduce peak healthcare demand by two-thirds and deaths by half.
Here’s a quick coronavirus guide for you to stay updated: Who all should be tested for Covid-19 and when? | How should you quarantine yourself? | How often (and how) should you clean your home? | What is the Janata Curfew announced by PM Modi? | Who are restricted from coming to India, and from when? | How long can the virus live on surfaces or in air around you? | Still more Coronavirus Q&A Explained news here
