Nationwide Lockdown Extended by 2 Weeks; Railways Start 'Shramik Special' Trains

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday extended the nationwide lockdown for two more weeks, which is to be effective from May 4. This is despite the economy in doldrums, agriculture in distress and migrant labour facing joblessness, hunger and penury.

Issuing guidelines to regulate economic activities in this period, MHA said that movement of individuals, for all non-essential activities, shall remain strictly prohibited between 7 pm to 7 am, across all the zones.

Similarly, irrespective of zones, all forms of public transport- air, rail, metro and inter-State movement by road; schools, colleges, hotels and restaurants, cinema halls, malls, gymnasiums; social, political, cultural, religious gatherings remain suspended, except special cases, the MHA order added.

'Aarogya Setu' app has been made must for people living in COVID-19 containment zones.

In all COVID-19 zones, people above 65, those with co-morbidities, pregnant women will stay at home, except for essential works, the order said.

Apart from this, some relaxations have been permitted to districts falling under green and orange zones.

Meanwhile, to ferry those who are stranded at different places due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, Indian Railways on Friday decided to run “Shramik Special” trains which will run from point to point on the request of both the concerned state governments, which are sending and receiving such persons. The Shramik Special train fare will includes cost of sleeper class ticket, superfast charge of Rs 30 and Rs 20 for meals, water.

“The passengers have to be screened by the sending states and only those found asymptomatic would be allowed to travel. Sending State Governments will have to bring these persons in batches that can be accommodated in the train to the designated Railway Station in sanitized buses following social distancing norms and other precautions. It will be mandatory for every passenger to wear face cover. Meals and drinking water would be provided to the passengers by the sending states at the originating station,” MoR said after Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directed it to issue guidelines.

With the economy at standstill, India’s top carmakers, including Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai, on Friday reported zero monthly domestic sales for the first time ever in April after the nationwide lockdown halted output and shut sales network.

In the two-wheeler segment, bike maker Royal Enfield said it had zero sales in the domestic market but exported a total of 91 units last month.

Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL),  Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) and MG Motor India reported nil sales as they suspended operations even before the imposition of lockdown on March 25 to check the spread of coronavirus, reports PTI.

As on Friday evening till five, the cumulative figure of novel coronavirus cases in the country has reached 35,365, of which 25,148 are under “active” medical supervision and 9,064 have been cured so far.

The death toll due to COVID-19, disease caused by novel coronavirus, has jumped to 1,152 now.