Delhi Metro services shut on Sunday to power ‘Janta Curfew’

The move is aimed at encouraging the public to stay indoors and maintain social distancing, which is essential in the fight against Covid-19.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Friday announced the closure of metro services in the national Capital on March 22 (Sunday) keeping in mind the ‘Janta Curfew’ declared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Commuters wearing face masks as a precautionary measure against coronavirus infections, at Rajiv Chowk Metro Station in New Delhi, India, on Friday, March 20, 2020. (Raj K Raj/HT photo)

“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 the public to stay indoors and maintain social distancing, which is essential in the fight against Covid-19,” Anuj Dayal, Executive Director, DMRC said in an official statement.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Delhi on Thursday rose to 14, according to the Delhi Health Department.

In a televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked the entire country to observe ‘Janta Curfew’ and stay indoors on Sunday from 7.00 am to 9.00 pm.

In a nearly 30-minute national broadcast, he asked the citizens of the country to stay indoors and work from home as much as possible while underlining the dangers of the novel coronavirus, saying the world had never seen such a crisis as grave as this before.