No New Year celebrations in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru. Details here

Within a month of the first Omicron cases were detected, the Omicron tally in India is nearing 800 with metro cities being the variant's primary target.

Metro cities Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru will go into the new year with zero to muted celebrations as restrictive orders have been put in place amid the apprehension of Omicron. Omicron is the latest variant of SARS-CoV-2 which is spreading faster than Delta, though its impact is not as severe as Delta. Within a month of the first cases getting detected, India's Omicron tally is nearing 800.

Following instances of crowding in markets, Delhi has put under a mini-lockdown situation starting from December 28. 

Here are the Omicron rules in these 4 cities:

Delhi

1. Delhi has gone for a mini-lockdown as it issued a yellow alert on Tuesday. The restrictions are not limited to New Year celebrations. School, colleges, cinema halls in Delhi are also closed.

2. No cultural event/gathering/congregation is allowed on New Year's eve in Delhi.

3. Restaurants, bars and auditoriums are allowed to function at 50% capacity.

Mumbai

1. In the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation area, no New Year celebrations are allowed -- not in confined or open space.

2. Gathering of more than 5 people not allowed at public places between 9pm and 6am

3. Restaurants, gyms, cinema theatres can operate at 50% capacity.

Bengaluru

1. Restaurants, hotels, clubs, pubs will operate with 50% seating capacity from 30 December to 2 January.

2. All gatherings, meeting conferences including marriages from 28 December should strictly limit the number of participants to 300 people only.

3. Night curfew will remain in force from December 28 to January 7 in all parts of Bengaluru city from 10pm to 5am

4. No public events to celebrate New Year's Eve will be allowed anywhere in the city

Chennai

1. No gathering is allowed in Marina Beach, Elliots Beach, Neelankarai and Each Coast Road.

2. Vehicles will not be allowed on Marina Beach, from War Memorial to Gandhi Statue, Kamaraj Road and Besant Nagar Elliots Beach Road from 9pm onwards.

3. New Year celebrations will not be allowed on RK Salai, Rajaji Salai, Kamarajar Salai, Anna Salai, GST Road and other arterial roads.

4. Resorts, farmhouses, clubs and convention centres will not hold any commercial event. No DJ parties or dance programmers will be allowed in public places.

Why are restrictions mostly in metro cities?

As the source of Omicron still remains foreign travellers, the spread of this variant is higher in metro cities compared to cities that do not handle a lot of international traffic.