Coronavirus update: Delhi Metro to be shut on Sunday due to janta curfew

Coronavirus update: Delhi Metro will remain non-operational on Sunday due to janta curfew. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has decided to suspend operations on March 22 to encourage people to stay indoors and maintain social distancing to fight coronavirus.

On Thursday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced janta curfew to be observed on Sunday during his address to the nation. The Prime Minister called the curfew by the janta, for the janta.

In an attempt to encourage social distancing, PM Modi said that janta curfew would be observed across the country on Sunday from 7am to 9pm. He said that the janta curfew would acquaint people with self-isolation and help them prepare for coming hardships.

Also read: Janta curfew: What is PM Modi's new formula to fight coronavirus?

He further added that at 5pm on Sunday people would stand in their balconies or within the premises of their houses and clap or clank utensils as a way of applauding the ones who are serving on the frontlines. The PM asked people to cut down on non-essential travel and urged people to stay indoors as much as possible.

The Prime Minister also urged senior citizens above 60 years of age who have weaker immunity to not step out of their homes.

PM Modi also asked people to not hoard items and panic buy and said that the government would make sure that the supply of essential items is not disrupted.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the Maharashtra government ordered a lockdown of its offices and non-essential shops in Mumbai, Nagpur and Pune as three new cases have emerged taking the total number of cases in the state to 52. Delhi has also ordered the shutdown of all malls, with the exception of groceries and pharmacies. Governments have also advised all offices to allow their employees to work from home till March 31.

Also read: Coronavirus in India Live Updates: Maharashtra govt puts Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Pimpri in lockdown

Also read: Coronavirus in Maharashtra: All non-essential shops, offices to shut in Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune