Punjab: CM Amarinder Singh orders complete lockdown in state to contain spread of coronavirus

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh today ordered complete lockdown in the state to curb the spread of Covid-19, officials said.

Only necessary services will be let off the hook from the lockdown. The official order for the complete lockdown to be issued soon.

On Sunday, roadways and public places in Punjab, Haryana and their common capital were empty as the Janata Curfew initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to combat the spread of coronavirus got underway.

The Janata curfew is part of a social distancing exercise in order to help break the pattern of transmission to curb the spread of the pathogen.

Chandigarh looked to be a ghost town on Sunday. Roads were empty with no vehicles visible, even on the busiest intersections including transport light point, Tribune Choke and near the Inter State Bus Terminal. Popular places like Sukhna Lake and the Sector 17 plaza remained isolated.

Markets were closed except for pharmacies. Apartment societies and other gated communities mainly in the Southern Sectors remained closed with the gates shut while police could be seen maintaining a vigil in the city.

On Saturday night, the Punjab government ordered a lockdown till 25th March in several districts including Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Nawanshahr.

A government statement on Saturday stated Deputy Commissioners should talk to industry association to work out modalities for proactive closure and should also appeal to them to compensate labourers and not minus the wage.

The state of Punjab recorded the highest single day increse in the number of coronavirus cases on Saturday.

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