Delhi govt extends lockdown by another week; metro services to be suspended
Delhi govt extends lockdown by another week; metro services to be suspended
M.U.H
09/05/2021503
The Delhi government has decided to extend the lockdown by another week, said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The restrictions will now stay in place till 17 May.
Stating that the measures have to be made more stringent, the CM further announced that metro services will remain suspended throughout the period. He, however, said that all other essential services will continue in the city.
During the previous restrictions, the metro was available in the morning (8 am to 10 in) and evening (5 pm to 7 pm) peak hours across the network with a headway (frequency) of 30 minutes.
A six-day lockdown was announced by CM Kejriwal on 19 April. It was later earlier extended to 3 May and then 10 May with Delhi’s hospitals overloaded and oxygen and medicine supplies running low.
Speaking about the effect of the restrictions in controlling the spread of the virus, the CM said: "The positivity rate had reached 35% when we first implemented the lockdown. It has since come down due to the strict measures. In the last two days, it has reached 23%."
"We used the lockdown period to boost our medical infrastructure and to increase oxygen beds at various locations. The oxygen situation has improved in Delhi. We are getting less panic or SOS calls from hospitals now," he added.
Kejriwal further spoke about the vaccination drive in Delhi. He said the administration has made excellent arrangements in schools.
"We have a shortage of vaccines but I hope the central government will help us," said the CM.
He had stated on Saturday that Delhi needs to administer at least three lakh doses per day to inoculate all residents above 18 years of age in three months.
Kejriwal had earlier appealed to the migrant workers not to leave the city during the lockdown as he hoped that there might not be a need to extend it further.
His government had later decided to give free ration to all ration cardholders in the national capital for the next two months.
"We have decided that all ration card holders in Delhi, around 72 lakh in number, will be given free ration for the next two months," said the CM.
"It does not mean that the lockdown will continue for two months. It is just being done to help the poor going through financial issues," he added.
The national capital recorded 332 more Covid-19 deaths and 17,364 new infections on Saturday. The positivity rate remained below 25% for the third consecutive day, the state health department said.
The infection tally rose to 13,10,231, out of which over 12.03 lakh people have recovered.
Of the 22,289 hospital beds for coronavirus patients in the city, only 2,451 are vacant. As many as 49,865 patients are in home isolation and the number of containment zones has risen to 51,338, according to the bulletin.