India Coronavirus Updates, September 12: Delhi Airport metro line reopens; Rahul takes swipe at Centre’s ‘well-planned fight’

A commuter boards a train after Delhi Metro resumed services with curtailed operation of the Yellow Line and Rapid Metro, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, on Monday. (PTI)

Here are the top developments in the country:

Delhi HC reduces number of benches holding physical hearings as cases rise

The Delhi High Court has decided to reduce the number of benches that would be holding physical hearings in view of the “alarming” rise in virus cases in the national capital, PTI reported.

According to a note issued by the office of Registrar General Manoj Jain, a full court of the judges of the Delhi High Court deliberated on continuing with physical hearings, which were started from September 1, and decided not to discontinue them completely.

A woman wearing protective gear mourns after taking a glimpse of her husband’s body, a victim of Covid-19, at a cremation ground in Gauhati, on Thursday. (AP)

Govt’s ‘well-planned fight’ against Covid led to ‘abyss of GDP reduction’: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that the Centre’s “well planned fight” against the pandemic has put India in an “abyss” of GDP reduction, job losses, stressed loans and globally highest daily Covid19 cases and deaths.

“Modi Govt’s ‘well-planned fight’ against Covid has put India in an abyss of: 1. Historic GDP reduction of 24% 2. 12 crore jobs lost 3. 15.5 lac crores additional stressed loans 4. Globally highest daily Covid cases & deaths,” Gandhi said in a tweet earlier today.

But for the government of India and the media “sab changa si (all is well)”, he added.

Coronavirus test being conducted at an open space at Leisure Valley in Chandigarh’s sector 10 on Thursday.

Telangana doctors perform India’s first double lung transplant on Covid patient

In a first, doctors at Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad successfully performed a double lung transplant surgery on a Covid patient who was suffering from sarcoidosis that affected his lungs, PTI reported.

“The patient (from Chandigarh) was a severe case of lung sarcoidosis, and Covid-19 virus only complicated the precarious lung condition. Fortunately, a match to his lungs was found in a person declared brain dead in Kolkata, and the harvested lungs were airlifted to Hyderabad to save the life of the patient,” Dr Sandeep Attawar, who led the surgery, said in a statement.

Commuters wearing protective masks travel in a passenger bus, amidst the pandemic, in Ahmedabad. (Reuters)

“The procedure was complex and had little scope for errors; and only a timely transplant of lungs helped save the patient,” he added.

Rs 500 fine for not wearing face mask in Thane city

Those not wearing face masks in Thane city of Maharashtra will be fined Rs 500, Thane Municipal Commissioner Vipin Sharma said in an order as the overall coronavirus tally in the area rose to 29,463 on Friday.

The fatality count stood at 885.

Similar instructions were also issued by the neighbouring Palghar district recently.

Devotees outside the Ajmer Sharif Dargah after it reopened during Unlock 4 on Monday. (PTI)

Delhi Metro resumes full services, Airport Line reopens

With the Airport Express Line reopening after over 170 days, Delhi Metro resumed its full services across corridors on Saturday. The services are available from 6 am to 11 pm.

Taking to Twitter, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said: “With the resumption of service on the Airport Express Line, all lines of the Delhi Metro network are now open! Remember to follow the guidelines when travelling. #MetroBackOnTrack,”