A view of Connaught Place, New Delhi, during Sunday's janata curfew to prevent the spread of the coronavirus | Photo: Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint
Text Size:
New Delhi: India is observing a 14-hour ‘janata curfew’ from 7am to 9pm Sunday to check the spread of COVID-19. The ‘curfew’ was called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Thursday address to the nation.
In response to the call, streets across national capital Delhi wore a deserted look Sunday, with most forms of public transport closed. Marketplaces, restaurants, gym, bars and liquor shops were already closed in the preceding days as a precaution, in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
The silence of was broken just before 5pm, as people responded to Modi’s call to appreciate those engaged in essential services by coming out on to their balconies, clapping hands, clanging utensils, blowing conch shells and even bursting firecrackers.
ThePrint puts together some snapshots of the day in Delhi, Agra and Kolkata.
India Gate was closed for visitors earlier this week | Photo: Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrintA police officer wearing a mask stands outside the Taj Mahal premises in Agra | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintThe empty inner circle at Delhi’s Connaught Place | Photo: Manisha Mondal | The PrintPeople in masks click a selfie at Kolkata’s Howrah Bridge | Photo: Ashok Nath Dey | ThePrintA man wearing a mask walks in Connaught Place | Photo: Manisha Mondal | ThePrintYoungsters play cricket in Agra | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintFrancisco and his wife Belen arrived in India from Spain on 4 March, and have been stuck in Agra since. They gaze at the Taj Mahal from their hotel during the janata curfew | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintPeople leaving Agra to go back to their hometowns and villages | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintA rickshaw-puller in Agra sleeps while wearing a mask | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintPeople clang utensils in Agra at 5pm | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintPeople clap standing at their balconies in New Delhi | Photo: Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint
India needs fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. ThePrint – with exceptional reporters, columnists and editors – is doing just that.
Sustaining this needs support from wonderful readers like you.
Whether you live in India or overseas, you can take a paid subscription by clicking here.
Like a stun grenade that immobilises everything it its path.