Silence on the streets of a city where every inch is fought over
An eerie, unnerving silence met residents of one of the world’s most populous cities as they awoke to a second day of lockdown.
New Delhi is one of 75 Indian districts placed under severe travel, work and movement restrictions until March 31 as the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India starts to increase, yesterday to 415.
It is hoped the largest curfew in history – restricting some 750 million people – will help limit any further spread of coronavirus as India desperately tries to avoid any strain on its chronically underfunded and understaffed public healthcare system.
With an estimated population of almost 30 million, every inch of space is fought over by hurried commuters, packs of wild dogs, stalls selling hot food, the homeless eking out a living underneath tarpaulin sheets and vehicles careering through traffic.
Today, those same streets were deserted.
It was possible to walk around an entire neighbourhood and only see a handful of people.
Across the 75 districts impacted by the curfew, residents can only leave their homes in case of an emergency or if they are purchasing essential supplies like medicine or food.
Meanwhile, the country’s rail network was fully suspended on Sunday in an attempt to stop millions of migrant workers from returning to their home villages, taking the virus with them.
State governments have also implemented separate measures to tackle risks unique to their constituents.
In New Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Partyled government (AAP) has begun labelling the homes of those under home quarantine with red and green stickers.
Critics say the stickers increase stigma but the AAP argues that they are necessary for combating misinformation and encouraging symptomatic Indians to stay indoors.
Politicians belonging to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party had downplayed the threat and advocated the use of cow urine and dung to combat the virus.
In addition to the stickers, the AAP has crucially promised to provide 7.2 million of the poorest Delhiites with free food rations and 850,000 people with a monthly allowance.