An unprecedented shutdown commenced across India on Sunday morning after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for a ‘Janata curfew’ to help check the spread of Wuhan Coronavirus. The citizens of the country overwhelmingly supported Prime Minister’s idea of self-imposed curfew which was evident by the empty streets across the country.
The ‘Janata curfew’ started at 7 am on Sunday and people have largely kept themselves indoors as part of the social distancing exercise to stop the spread of the virus. The ‘Janata Curfew’ will end at 9 pm.
PM Modi in his national address had urged citizens to stay indoors from 7 am to 9 pm, a move that he said would be a crucial test for a country to assess its abilities to fight the pandemic.
On Sunday, roads were seen empty, public transport and markets closed across the country as millions of the citizens decided to put themselves under a 14-hour long voluntary curfew today to limit the fast-spreading coronavirus epidemic in the country.
Streets of Kolkata wore an empty look and public places remained deserted on Sunday as the “Janata curfew” kicked in.
Deserted roads were seen in Maharashtra’s Nagpur as citizens chose to support PM Modi’s call for the ‘Janata Curfew’.
Metro rail services in the national capital were also closed today in view of Janata Curfew.
The iconic Majestic bus station in the Bengaluru looked totally deserted on the count of self-imposed isolation by the citizens of the garden city on Sunday. Addition to the BMTC buses, for the first time in nine years, the entire Bengaluru Metro network will remain shut the whole of Sunday.
Similar scenes were at the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as people chose to stay inside their homes to support Prime Minister Modi’s call.
Janata Curfew is also underway in Chennai on Sunday as Coronavirus cases in the country stood at 315.
Meghalaya’s Shillong observes Janata Curfew in order to control the spread of COVID-19.
COVID-19 cases in India rose to 315 Saturday after more than 60 fresh cases were reported in various parts of the country, the Union Health Ministry said. “Total number of confirmed cases so far in the country as on 21 March including foreign nationals is 315,” the Health Ministry said late Saturday.
