Restrictions on the movement of people—weekend lockdowns to night curfews—have been brought back in several parts of the country as states scramble to stem the rising tide of Covid-19 infections that threatens to overwhelm the health infrastructure.
Here's a list of states that have imposed restrictions in view of surging coronavirus cases:
Restrictions on the movement of people—weekend lockdowns to night curfews—have been brought back in several parts of the country as states scramble to stem the rising tide of Covid-19 infections that threatens to overwhelm the health infrastructure.
On Thursday, new coronavirus cases in India hit a record daily high with over 2 lakh infections being reported in a day, while the active cases surpassed the 14- lakh mark.
Here's a list of states that have imposed restrictions in view of surging coronavirus cases:
Uttar Pradesh
The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday ordered the closure of all schools till May 15 and directed the imposition of a night curfew from 8 pm till 7 am in ten districts with more than 2,000 active Covid-19 cases.
Yogi Adityanath-led state government has postponed UP Board high school and intermediate examinations (class 10 and class 12) till May 20. Further, university examinations have been postponed till May 15.
Rajasthan
Owing to the rise in the cases the Rajasthan government has issued new guidelines on Wednesday - According to which a strict curfew will be imposed across the state between 6 PM to 5 Am. As per the revised guidelines the private offices and markets to close by 5 PM, whereas government offices to close at 4 PM till April 30, 2021. Rajasthan on Wednesday saw a new high of 6,200 Covid cases, out of which the highest number was registered in Jaipur, at 1329. The death toll was also the highest to date, with 29 fatalities in the last 24 hours.
Delhi
Amid an exponential rise in Covid-19 cases, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a weekend lockdown in Delhi. Malls, gyms, spas, auditoriums in Delhi will remain closed and cinema halls will operate with 30 per cent capacity, said Kejriwal. During the lockdown, all essential services will be allowed. Takeaway and home deliveries will also be allowed. In a virtual address, Kejriwal asserted that there is no shortage of beds in hospitals in Delhi and per the latest data 5,000 beds are available across the city. Efforts to increase beds on a large scale will also be made, he assured.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday issued fresh guidelines for the people of the state to contain the growing cases of Covid-19. Addressing the state, CM Thackeray imposed strict restrictions which will come into effect from 8 pm on Wednesday. He said, “Full curfew will be imposed in the state for the next 15 days. Section 144 to be imposed in the entire state from tomorrow. I will not term this as lockdown.” The decision was announced following an all-party meeting to discuss the crisis. The lockdown like restrictions will continue till May 1.
Punjab
In an attempt to contain the spread of covid-19, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced night curfew in Punjab on Wednesday. The curfew will be effective from 9 pm to 5 am till April 30. As part of the fresh curbs, the number of people who can attend funerals and weddings has been reduced to 50 for indoor gatherings and 100 for outdoor gatherings. Wearing masks has been made mandatory for all government employees while in office, an official statement noted.
Chandigarh
Witnessing a sudden spike in coronavirus cases, the Chandigarh administration on Tuesday announced night curfew in the city from 10 pm to 5 am every day until further notice. Only essential services will be allowed to function during the curfew, an official release said. No gatherings will be allowed during the curfew hours and all restaurants have been asked to shut down by 10 pm.
Gujarat
The Gujarat government has decided to extend the night curfew in force in four major cities till 15 April. The night curfew will continue in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot between 9 pm and 6 am till 15 April, according to the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Gujarat government.
Odisha
Odisha government has imposed a night curfew in 10 districts of the state in view of the recent spike in coronavirus cases. Night curfew has been imposed from 10 pm to 5 am in Sundergarh, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Koraput and Nabarangpur districts.