Government
and private organisations have announced stopping their services to follow a
Janta Curfew on Sunday in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic after Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s appeal to the people of the country to stay at home for a day.
The Prime
Minister had in his address to the nation asked people to stay off the roads
and public places during the Janta Curfew, which will be in place for 14 hours
from 7am to 9pm on Sunday.
“Today, I am
seeking one more support from every citizen. It is Janta Curfew – a curfew for
the people and imposed by people themselves,” PM Modi had said.
Essential
services like police, media, medical services etc will not come under the
purview of the curfew.
Here is what
government and private organisations are doing:
- The Indian Railways has said it will
not operate any passenger train from any railway station in the country from
midnight on Saturday to 10pm on Sunday.
- Mail and express trains will also
stop services from 4am on Sunday, the transporter has said. All intercity
trains will also remain cancelled till 10pm on Sunday.
- All suburban train services in Mumbai, Delhi,
Kolkata, Chennai and Secunderabad will be reduced to a bare minimum as well.
- Budget airline GoAir has announced to
voluntarily suspend all flights on Sunday when Janta curfew will be in force.
- Indigo, India’s largest flight carrier,
has said it will operate only 60% of its domestic flights on Sunday.
- Air Vistara also announced it will be
curtailing its domestic operations on Sunday when Janta Curfew’ would be in
force. “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,” the airline’s spokesperson said.
- Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani
has said no government buses will ply on Sunday during the Janta Curfew
announced by Prime Minister Modi. State transport buses, those being operated
under the BRTS mechanism, as well as city buses will be off the roads in the
state on Sunday, the CM said.
- The Tamil Nadu government has also
said government bus and Metro rail services in the state will be suspended on
Sunday in view of ‘’Janta Curfew’’. Private transport operators and owners of
mini-buses too have been asked to extend support and not operate their vehicles
on that day.
- Operations of Lucknow Metro will also be
suspended on Sunday.