Here are the lockdown rules you must know: Delhi NCR and will go on a nine-day lockdown to quarantine COVID-19

• Delhi government announces a lockdown in the NCR for a nine-day-long period starting from March 23, 2020 and ending on March 31, 2020.
  
  
• The government will gauge the situation thoroughly to decide if the restrictions must be continued further or ended on the specified date.
  
  
• Here are the rules of the lockdown you must know to ensure compliance.

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a health emergency across a large number of geographies in the world. Countries, states and local governments are trying to control the spread of the virus with stricter measures so that the situation is contained within manageable limits and further infection is stopped.

India announced a nationwide and day-long lockdown on March 22, 2020 to prepare the country for an emergency. Immediately following it and extending it further, the Delhi Government declared a lockdown in NCR for nine-days long ending on March 31, 2020.

Here are the rules of the lockdown you must know to ensure compliance.

The lockdown official notification

The official notification of the nine-day-long lockdown in the Delhi NCR has been published by the Health and Family Welfare Department.

The timing and jurisdiction of the lockdown

The lockdown will be enforced across the whole of the territorial jurisdiction of the NCR of Delhi from 06:00 hours on Monday, March 23, 2020 to midnight of Tuesday, March 31, 2020.

What will not operate and remain closed?

• Public transport systems like private buses, taxis, auto-rickshaws, rickshaws and e-rickshaws will not be permitted to run. 25% of the DTC buses will be operated to serve the needs of the personnel connected with the offering of essential services.
• The government will seal the motorable and non-motorable borders with all the neighboring states.
• Inter-state buses, trains and metro (DMRC) will be stopped. Domestic and international flights arriving to Delhi will be stopped for the period.
• Shops, commercial establishments, workshops, factories, godowns, offices, weekly bazaars will close their operations.

In a tweet posted on March 20, 2020, the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has noted, "In view of the prevailing situation, we are closing down all malls (except grocery, pharmacy and vegetable shops in them)." Construction activities of all kinds will remain suspended and all places of worship will remain closed.

Rules on people’s movement

During the wake of the medical emergency, people’s movements in the city will have to abide by the rules. People are expected to remain in their homes and come out only for basic services within the vicinity of their residences. During the unavoidable and essential movement that conforms to the lockdown rules and guidelines, people are expected to follow the social distancing guidelines issued by the government.

What will continue to function normally?

• Important government departments that are endowed with the responsibilities of law and order, magisterial duties, police, health, fire, prisons, fair price shops, electricity, water, and municipal services will go on as usual.
• Activities connected to the legislative assembly, pay and accounts offices (only those that are connected to disbursing the salaries and wages of the employees and the funds of the contingency services) will continue to function.
• ATMs, cashier and teller operations in banks, telecom, internet and postal services will be available.
• E-commerce of all goods including food, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment, food items, groceries, bakery items, fruits, milk and vegetables, fish, and meat are permitted to continue their services.
• Milk plants, general provision stores, takeaways and home deliveries in restaurants, pharmacies and chemists, petrol pumps and LPG/Oil agencies including the transportation and godown related activities of these services will be available.
• Animal fodder, the manufacturing, processing, distributing, storage, transporting, logistics and commercial operations of the essential services category products and services, and other essential services exempted by the government will continue to operate.

Rules governing the movements and operations

• While operating and functioning, the listed emergency services must follow the protocols connected to social distancing without any deviations whatsoever.
• The lockdown rules prevent any congregation of more than four persons. This is in fact strictly prohibited and is punishable by law.
• The employees of the private enterprises including those on temporary, contractual and outsourced agreements shall be considered to remain on-duty even as they stay at their homes and will have to be paid in full for the period of lockdown.
• The orders pertaining to the functioning of the various departments of the Government of India will be issued separately by the Government of India.
• Persons and establishments found violating the instructions, rules and guidelines given in the lockdown order will be prosecuted as per the relevant provisions in the law.

Work from home arrangement for private offices and multinational sector offices in NCT

In an order issued earlier, the Delhi government asked all the private sector offices and multinational companies, industries, corporate offices, and IT firms to permit their employees to work from home until March 31, 2020.

The authorities responsible for ensuring compliance

The notification regarding the lock down released by the Delhi government lists down the authorities that are responsible for ensuring strict compliance with the lockdown. The list of authorities who will supervise and control the situation include Addl. Chief Secretary (Transport), GNCTD, Chairperson, NDMC; Chairperson, AAI; and Commissioner of Police.

See Also -
What is lockdown
India Helpline number for Coronavirus cases