New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: In order to control the spread of the deadly coronavirus in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged countrymen to take part in the ‘janata curfew’ initiative on March 22 and stay inside and avoid all non-essential travel.
“If possible, please call at least ten people every day and tell them about the ‘janta curfew’ as well as the measures to prevent coronavirus. Restrain is compulsory to protect ourselves and remain healthy. I request that for the coming weeks people should go out of their homes only if essential,” said PM Modi in his address on Thursday.
So as the country prepare for the ‘janata curfew’, here’s what the state governments and private organisations are doing:
• The Indian Railways has announced that it will not operate any passenger train from any railway station in the country from midnight on Saturday to 10.00 pm on March 22 in wake of the Janata curfew.
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• "All passenger trains originating between midnight of 21/ 22.03.2020 to 2200 hours of 22.03.2020 approximately 2400 services) on 22nd March, 2020 shall not be run. However, the passenger train services already on run at 0700 hrs on the day will be allowed to run to the destinations divisions should keep a watc and trains which are empty could be short terminated if required," read a release by the Ministry of Railways.
• "Services of Mail/express and intercity trains shall be reduced to bare minimum level only to cater to essential travel requirement keeping in view that the day falls on a holiday i.e. Sunday," it said.
• Several airline companies – including GoAir, Indigo and Air Vistara – have also suspended their services for Sunday. Indigo has said that it will operate only 60 per cent of its domestic flights on March 22 while Air Vistara and GoAir have curtailed their domestic operations for Sunday.
• “Vistara will operate on a reduced network on Sunday, 22 March on account of Janta curfew. Passengers who have been affected by cancellations will be contacted soon,” said an official, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
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• “GoAir will protect all the PNRs dated 22 March 2020 in view of the Janta curfew for a period of one year under the Protect Your PNR scheme. Passengers can contact GoAir at any time over the next one year to redeem their ticket on any GoAir flight on any date with no charges being levied,” the GoAir said.
New Delhi:
• The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Friday announced that the metro serivces will remain closed on Sunday due to the ‘janata curfew’. "In the wake of 'Janta Curfew' to be observed this Sunday i.e, on 22nd March 2020, DMRC has decided to keep its 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," the DMRC tweeted.
• Earlier, the New Delhi Trader's Association also announced that the famous Connaught Place in the national capital will remain closed from 7.00 am to 9.00 pm on Sunday in view of the 'janata curfew'. "As it has been requested by Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday to observe a Janata Curfew, Connaught Place shall remain closed on March 22," New Delhi Trader's Association president Atul Bhargava said.
Uttar Pradesh:
• Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday urged people to adhere to 'Janta curfew' called by PM Modi, saying all metro rail, state and city bus services in the state will remain closed on Sunday.
• “We have sufficient stock of essential commodities and medicines in the state. So, please don't rush to shops to buy things and hoard commodities,” he said while appealing people not to panic over coronavirus.
Bus services suspended in several states:
• The bus services have also been suspended in several states including Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka in wake of the ‘janata curfew’.
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• In Tamil Nadu, the state government has asked private transport operators of buses to extend support to the ‘janata curfew’ and not to operate on March 22.
• Similarly, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has also said that no government buses will ply on March 22 during the ‘janta curfew’ as announced by PM Modi.