Janata curfew: Millions stay at home to fight Covid-19

Bhubaneswar: Amid the rising coronavirus cases in the country, streets across Odisha wore a deserted look on Sunday as people largely remained indoors following the ”Janata curfew” call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

All the commercial and business establishments baring essential services are closed in Odisha.

All the public transport vehicles including buses, taxis, and autorickshaws have also stayed off the roads across the state.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had on Saturday announced a near-total lockdown in five districts – Khurda, Ganjam, Cuttack, Kendrapara and Angul – and eight towns- Puri, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Balasore, Jajpur road and Jajpur town, Bhadrak- till March 29 to contain the spread of the disease.

Of the 3,200 foreign returnees to Odisha, more than 70 per cent hailed from these districts and towns.

The East Coast Railway (ECoR) informed that altogether 46 local trains and 21 Express, superfast and intercity trains have been cancelled in view of Janata curfew.

Odisha has recorded two cases of Covid-19 so far.