Weekend curfew in Delhi: Check what's allowed and what's not amid rising COVID-19 cases

Delhiites will stay put at their homes for two days as the 55-hour-long weekend curfew kicked in from 10 pm yesterday amid rising COVID-19 cases in the city.

New Delhi: Amid the surge in COVID-19 cases, the Delhi government has imposed a weekend curfew in the nation capital, which will remain in place throughout Saturday and Sunday to contain the rapid resurgence of the coronavirus. 

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), in its order, stated that the curfew will remain in force every weekend henceforth unless otherwise directed. Under the latest restrictions, the Capital city will remain under curfew from 10 pm Friday to 5 am Monday. 

Here's everything you need to know about the weekend curfew in Delhi:

- The curfew will remain in place from Friday night to Monday morning in the national capital.

- Shops, malls, markets will largely be closed in Delhi during this time. 

- People can venture out only in cases of an emergency. 

- Government offices will have to implement work from home for employees.

- Private offices will operate at 50 percent capacity and the remaining workforce must work from home.

- Essential services (including food and medicines services) will continue uninterrupted.

- Delhi Metro, city buses and other public transports will be allowed to operate at 100 percent seating capacity, but no standing passengers. All passengers availing of transport services must follow Covid-19 protocols.

- Only a maximum of 50 passengers will be allowed per coach in the Delhi Metro, according to reports. Entry to Metro trains and stations may also be restricted as and when required.

In its order, DDMA has also said that several people will be exempted from the weekend curfew in the national capital, and these are: 

a) Officers and officials involved in essential and emergency services shall be allowed on production of valid identity card during night and weekend curfew.

b) Officers and officials of the Government of India, its autonomous or subordinate offices and PSUs on the production of valid identity card and according to the restrictions imposed by the Union government.

c) Judges and all judicial officers, staff members of all courts of Delhi as well as advocates, legal counsels, connected with the case hearing on the production of valid identity card, service ID card, photo entry passes and permission letters issued by the court administration.

d) Officers and officials in the offices of diplomats of various countries as well as persons holding any constitutional post on the production of valid identity card.

e) All private medical personnel such as doctors, nursing staff, paramedics and other hospital services such as hospitals, diagnostic centres, testing laboratories, clinics, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, medical oxygen suppliers and other medical and health services on production of valid ID card.

e) Pregnant women and patients for getting medical and health services, along with an attendant, on the production of valid identity card and doctor’s prescription

f) Persons who are going for COVID-19 testing or vaccination, on the production of valid identity card.

g) Persons coming from or going to airports, railway stations, inter-state bus terminuses allowed to travel on the production of a valid ticket.

h) Electronic and print media on production of valid identity card.

i) Persons or students shall be allowed to appear in the examination on the production of a valid admit card. The examination staff deployed for exam duties shall be allowed to travel on the production of valid identity cards or examination duty orders.

j) Movement of the individual for marriage related-gatherings up to 20 persons on production of soft or hard copy of marriage card

Meanwhile, Delhi registered 17,335 fresh COVID-19 infections and 9 deaths on Friday (January 7), as per the health bulletin. The positivity rate in the national capital stands at 17.73%, while there are 39,873 active cases. The death toll due to coronavirus in Delhi has risen to 25,136.

(With PTI inputs)