Deserted streets in Delhi as people stay at homes in wake of COVID-19
NEW DELHI: Two day since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced “janta curfew” nationwide, Delhi saw half empty roads and deserted streets, with people taking precautions and self-isolating themselves in order to curb the spread of Coronavirus.
While, early morning ration shops witnessed a huge crowd waiting to buy groceries, despite Modi mentioning not to come out in panic mode. “There were so many people at the grocery shop. It took us two hours as there were many people,” said Rachna a resident of Dwarka. India has seen a total of 283 confirmed cases, which include 32 foreign nationals.
Meanwhile, there was a
lull silence in different areas of the national Capital as Modi announced civil curfew in wake of Coronavirus, and requested people to stay at home. On the other hand, while most of the shops were open, the roads were empty. At almost all pub
lic spaces, curfew has been imposed. “These two weeks are going to be very crucial. And ICMR has said that in India, Coronavirus is not spreading through communication, we need to keep it that way, which is why such steps needed to be taken,” said a doctor in Dwarka.
An auto driver at Cannaught Place, though happy with the decision, said that these days have been hard on him for he hardly gets any customer. “It (C.P.) is silent now. We are hardly getting any customers. I don’t know what will happen,” he said.
The current scenario has left people perplexed, who have expressed their anguish over the current scenario. Anil, who has two kids and a wife, looked anxious as he stood at a grocery store. “After the speech, it was like this finality that something serious has finally happened. I am really anxious. I have never seen something like this in my whole life,” said 55-year-old businessman.
The pandemic has affected the economy and has hit hard on daily wage labourers. Mohammed Arif, sat at his small house in Maujpur. Recovering from the trauma of Delhi violence, he now has to sit at home. “I work in a factory nearby. It has been shut down for now. We get paid on a daily to weekly basis. I don’t know what will happen now,” he said. Arif has two daughters, while his wife is nine months pregnant. “It is going to affect us very badly. But we can’t do anything about it as well,” he added.
Many people told the correspondent that they will not cut salaries of their maids, and compensate for the days they won’t be coming for work. “It will be the hardest for them, which is why I have decided to not to cut her salary for the days she is not coming,” said Sania, a working professional at Mayur Vihar.