Delhi wears deserted look as vehicles keep off roads

Delhi roads wore a deserted look on Sunday as barring public transport buses and emergency vehicles, other vehicles kept off roads, as people joined hands to fight coronavirus by keeping indoors.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proposed 'Janata curfew' on Sunday between 7 am and 9 pm as part of social distancing to check the spread of the deadly virus.

Delhi Metro services remained suspended and only 50 per cent of DTC and cluster buses were operational during the Janata curfew.

Autos and taxis were a rare sight due to the support extended by various unions representing such vehicles to Prime Minister Modi's appeal for Janta curfew. Several unions like the Delhi Autorickshaw Sangh, Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union, Delhi Auto Taxi Transport Congress Union and Delhi Taxi Tourist Transport Association supported the curfew call. Unions of last-mile connectivity vehicles also joined the curfew.

Such was the impact of the lockdown that most of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses were seen running without any passengers. The inter-state bus terminals in the city too wore a deserted look. "No passengers or buses from any state were there at Kashmiri Gate, Sarai Kale Khan and Anand Vihar inter-state bus terminals," said a transport department official.

The inter-state private bus operators also suspended their operations in view of the Janata curfew.

"The private buses plying between Delhi and other states also did not operate from 7 am onwards," said Shyamlal Gola, president of All India Luxury Bus Union.

He said the union members will distribute one lakh masks and sanitisers to poor people at the three inter-state bus terminals in the city on Monday. Rajendra Soni, general secretary of Delhi Autorickshaw Sangh, said almost all the transport unions of the city have extended support to the prime minister's call of Janata curfew.