Night curfew will be imposed in prominent places across the country in view of New Year celebrations amid COVID pandemic. In national capital Delhi, night curfew will be imposed for today and tomorrow to check the gatherings, congregations and public celebrations of New Year. The assembling of more than five persons at public places as well as New Year celebratory events and congregations at public places will not be permitted from 11 P.M. tonight to 6 A.M. tomorrow and also from 11 P.M. tomorrow to 6 A.M. on the next day. However, there will be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement of persons and goods during the curfew period. The decision has been taken in view of threat posed by the mutant UK strain of COVID-19 virus and after observing the local incidents of the pandemic in the national capital. In his order, Delhi Chief Secretary and Chairman of City Disaster Management Authority, Vijay Dev said, all District Magistrates of Delhi and their counterpart District Deputy Commissioners of Police and all authorities concerned will ensure strict compliance of this order and will adequately inform and sensitize the field functionaries about these instructions for strict compliance. Meanwhile, the exit from Rajiv Chowk Metro Station in the national capital will not be allowed after 9 P.M. onwards today. However, the entry of passengers will be allowed till the departure of last train. The Karnataka Government has issued guidelines on the New Year eve celebration across the state. Section 144 is imposed since noon today preventing over five people from congregating in one place. This will be in place till tomorrow morning at 6 A.M. In Bengaluru, vehicle movement is regulated on important roads. Flyovers will be closed for vehicular traffic from evening today. Parking has been banned on Mahatma Gandhi Road and its surroundings after 4 P.M. today. Police Department has issued warning against those who take part in wheeling and drag races causing harm to others. Teams are also set up to check drunken driving. Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai has informed that police are put on after a new variant of the COVID virus was found in the passengers who arrived in Bengaluru from the UK. Speaking to media persons in Bengaluru today, the Health Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar informed that out of 199 members who were missing after arriving from the UK, 80 foreign nationals and 24 Indian nationals have now been located. The Minister added that the remainder of those missing will be located soon. In Rajasthan, the state government has issued an order to impose night curfew in big cities of the state on the New Year eve. The Home Department has issued the order on the purpose that night curfew is imposed effectively to prevent the spread of Corona virus amid fears of new strains found in the UK. A night curfew on the New Years Eve will be in effect from 8 P.M.to 6 A.M. tomorrow in all cities having a population of over one lakh. Markets in all these places will be closed at 7 P.M. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has urged people to strictly follow COVID guidelines and not to organize any public function or party. Mr. Gehlot has also appealed people of the state not to burst firecrackers on New Year’s Eve.
