Covid-19 surge: Delhi imposes night curfew from today; check what’s allowed and what’s not

The Delhi government has imposed a night curfew in the national capital from April 5 to April 30. The night curfew will be effective from 10 pm to 5 am. The decision has been taken considering the continuous rise in the number of COVID-19 cases. The night curfew, according to officials, has been imposed to disperse the crowd from restaurants, nightclubs, bars, pubs, and party venues.

The government said that essential services and movement of emergency vehicles have been exempted from the night curfew.

Earlier on April 2, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said that night curfew is not a solution to control the rise in COVID-19 cases. Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government was not in the favour of the night curfew and had said that it does not plan to impose it.

In the wake of night curfew in the national capital, here’s is what will be allowed and what not post 10 pm.

• All markets, restaurants, bars, pubs to close by 10 pm.
• Wedding halls and banquet halls too have to abide by the night curfew.
• Frontline and healthcare workers, government officials, diplomats will have to produce identity cards for travelling during that period.
• Others will have to produce e-passes.
• Essential services like medical stores, nursing homes, hospitals, and other associated services will remain open during the seven-hour night curfew.
• Essential nutriment facilities like diaries, groceries, bakeries, confectioneries, and vegetable shops will remain open. But the government has asked these establishments to follow all COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.
• Emergency services personnel like civil defence, electricity, sanitation works have been exempted from the new restrictions. However, they may be asked to produce valid identification cards.
• Banks, ATMs, broadcasting services, print, and electronic media have been allowed to function. These people can be asked to produce ‘e-pass’ which can be obtained by applying on the official website of the Delhi government.
• All public transport services to operate only for essential services.
• Commuters arriving in Delhi via air, rail, or bus transport services will be allowed to travel provided they can produce valid tickets.