Lockdown imposed in Madhya Pradesh`s three cities to curb rising COVID-19 cases

In the view of alarming surge in COVID-19 cases in the state, Madhya Pradesh government has imposed a one-day lockdown in the major cities like Bhopal, Indore and Jabalpur on Sunday.

Bhopal: In the view of the alarming surge in COVID-19 cases in the state, the Madhya Pradesh government has imposed a one-day lockdown in the major cities like Bhopal, Indore and Jabalpur on Sunday (March 21).

This step comes with the objective of checking the spread of the virus.

Earlier, on Saturday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in order to personally make sure several shopkeepers wore masks, observed the New Market area in Bhopal.

The state authorities and CM also urged the people of the state to strictly follow the COVID-19 guidelines in place in order to curb the massive surge of cases.

This one-day lockdown in the cities of Bhopal, Indore and Jabalpur on Sunday is believed to be the beginning of a normal lockdown on weekends. 

The lockdown is going to be imposed on every Sunday in these three cities until further orders from the authorities, but the essential services will remain unaffected as per the state Home Department,

Additionally, all schools and colleges are also ordered to remain closed till March 31 remain in place in the three cities from 10 pm every Saturday to 6 am on Mondays.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh witnessed 1,308 new COVID-19 infections on Saturday. The state's total tally has now increased to 2,74,405, of which, 3,903 have succumbed to the virus.

On Saturday, India recorded the highest single-day spike in the last four months. As per government data, country's total caseload stands at 1,15,55,284 and death toll at 1,59,558.