Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday announced a weekend curfew for the national capital as COVID-19 cases surged to the dangerous level.
Kejriwal said in a video message, “The Delhi government has taken some decisions. We had a meeting with LG sahab today and we took this decision unanimously. A curfew will be imposed in Delhi over the weekend. That’s because people venture out during weekdays to earn their livelihood, but their outings during the weekdays for entertainment. That can be curtailed and this shouldn’t pose a problem to people.”
Kejriwal said that the idea was to break the chain, adding that essential services including weddings would be exempt. But, only 50 people will be allowed to attend weddings, while the number of people attending funerals has been restricted to 20.
Malls, gyms, spas, auditoriums would be closed. Cinema halls would be allowed to operate with one-third audience.
One weekly market ‘per day per zone’ would be allowed, but dining inside restaurants would not be allowed.
Delhi reported more than 17,000 positive cases and in excess of 100 deaths on Wednesday and the number could go significantly higher in time to come.
Kejriwal sought to assure the people of Delhi about the availability of hospital beds in the national capital. He urged people to avoid large gatherings and move out by covering their faces with masks. However, Kejriwal had to face public ridicule recently after he refused to condemn the gatherings of lakhs of people in Kumbh Mela, in the same manner that he had condemned the gathering of members of Tablighi Jamaat last year.
Kejriwal had become the first chief minister to highlight the role of the Tablighi Jamaat in spreading the pandemic even though the congregation at Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz had taken place long before the Indian government acknowledged the existence of the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
Experts fear that the corona situation could spiral out of control after Hindus return to their homes in different parts of the country including Delhi from Kumbh Mela.