The Indian government on Thursday banned international commercial passenger aircraft from landing in any airport in the country, for a week starting March 22, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The Centre also has asked respective state governments to issue directions to senior citizens or persons aged above 65-years-old to remain at home.
“No scheduled international’s commercial passenger flight will take off from any foreign airport to any airport in India after 0001 hours GMT of March 22, 2020. These instructions remain in force till 0001 hours GMT March 29. A max travel time of 20 hours is permissible for such commercial passenger flights to land in India. As such no incoming scheduled international aircraft shall be allowed to disembark its passengers on Indian soil, foreigner or Indian after 2001 hours GMT of March 22, 2020," the Press Information Bureau said.
Advisory: No scheduled international commercial passenger aircraft shall be allowed to land in India from March 22, 2020 for one week. #COVID2019india pic.twitter.com/QY1z1xAa2g
— PIB India (@PIB_India) March 19, 2020
The release from the Press Information Bureau also says that state Governments shall issue “appropriate directions so that all citizens above 65 except for public representatives/govt. servants/medical professionals are advised to remain at home.” This however will exempt those who need to go out for seeking medical assistance)
Children aged below 10 years have also been advised to stay at home. The Centre has also issued directions to the Indian Railways and civil aviation (domestic flights) to stop all concessional travel for all persons except for patients, students and persons with disabilities. Concessional travel in trains is allowed for senior citizen card holders, persons with disabilities and students.
The Centre, for the first time has also asked respective state governments to “enforce” work from home “States are being requested to enforce work for home for private sector employees except those working in emergency essential services,” the press note states.
The Centre has further asked employees in groups B and C to work from home. Only those employees in the A category workers have been asked to come to their respective government offices. They will be given staggered work from home.
The total number of COVI-19 cases in India as on Thursday is 169 with 18 cases being reported in a single day. India reported its fourth death due to COVID-19 on Thursday after the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare confirmed the same. The victim is a 72-year-old man, who returned to Punjab from Germany via Italy. The man was diabetic and suffered from hypertension as well.