Delhi will be placed under a lockdown from 10 pm tonight to 5 am on Monday amid the surge in coronavirus cases, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced at a press briefing.

Kejriwal said that the six-day lockdown was being imposed in order to make arrangements for oxygen, medicines and hospital beds.

The chief minister said that more than 23,000 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Delhi over the last 24 hours. The announcement came after Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Kejriwal met to discuss the coronavirus situation in the city. Both of them agreed that the city’s health system had “reached its limit”, Kejriwal said.

“Less than 100 intensive care unit beds are left in Delhi,” Kejriwal said. “There is also a shortage of oxygen and remdesivir. The coronavirus situation in Delhi is grave.”

The Aam Aadmi Party chief warned that the national Capital may face a “bigger crisis” without the lockdown.

Kejriwal appealed to migrant workers not to leave the city during the “small lockdown”. He assured the workers that the government will take care of them.

On Monday, India reported 2,73,810 new coronavirus cases, its highest one-day rise in infections since the pandemic broke out in January 2020. The country’s tally rose to 1,50,61,919. India has recorded over 2 lakh infections for the fifth consecutive day. The toll rose to 1,78,769 with 1,619 deaths in the last day.

What’s allowed during the lockdown in Delhi

  • Operation of shops dealing with food, groceries, fruits and vegetables, pharmaceuticals, opticians, medicines and medical equipments, news paper distribution.
  • Banks, insurance offices and ATMs. 
  • SEBI/Stock related offices. 
  • Telecommunications, Internet services, Broadcasting and Cable services. 
  • Delivery of all essential goods including food, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment through e-commerce sites. 
  • Petrol pumps, LPG, CNG, petroleum and gas retail and storage outlets.  
  • Water supply, Power generation, transmission and distribution units and services  
  • Delivery of food by way of home delivery/take away by restaurants/eateries.  
  • Religious places can open but no visitors will be allowed.
  • Doctors, essential workers, government officials, students appearing for examinations, people going to airports and railway stations can move during the curfew. They will have to produce identity proofs. 
  • Weddings with up to 50 people.
  • Public transport with 50% seating capacity. 
  • Inter-state and intra-state transportation services. 

What’s not allowed

  • Private offices, malls, amusement parks. 
  • Weekly markets, cinemas, restaurants and bars. 
  • Gyms, spas and beauty parlours.
  • All political, religious social and cultural gatherings.