Deserted roads in Hyderabad as 'Janta Curfew' sets in

Roads in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana wore a deserted look on Sunday as the 'Janta curfew' proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help check the spread of coronavirus began.

Citizens remained indoors at several places in the city and across the state from Sunday morning after, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday called for a 24-hour voluntary curfew from 6 am on March 22 to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

Rao, who supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to observe 'Janta curfew' on Sunday from 7 am to 5 pm, urged the people of Telangana to stay at home from 6 am Sunday to 6 am on Monday.

Telangana should stand as an ideal to the entire country in the decision that the country has taken to observe 'Janta curfew' with self-control, he said.

Roads wore a deserted look at many places even as shops and eateries also remained closed in the state.

State-run Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) buses were not operating even as the Hyderabad Metro Rail remained closed, but five trains have been kept on stand-by to attend to any emergency.

Rao had appealed to owners of shops, malls and other commercial establishments to down shutters voluntarily.

With two fresh cases being reported on Saturday, the number of positive cases reported till date in Telangana rose to 21.

The Telangana government on Saturday constituted a committee of experts to study the measures needed to control incidence of coronavirus in the state and to suggest steps based on successful models from the world over.

Separately, The Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, was invoked in Telangana on Saturday.

The Telangana government has already announced a number of measures, including the closure of all educational institutions (from primary school to university), coaching centres and summer camps till March 31, to prevent the spread of the virus in the state.