New Delhi (NVI): All the essential services including medical, emergency services, disaster management, public utilities and others will remain operational during the 21-day long nationwide lockdown, the Ministry of Home Affairs said today.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of 21-day lockdown in the country from March 24 midnight till April 14 to combat coronavirus, the MHA issued several guidelines for essential service providers.
As per MHA guidelines, all the transport services — road, rail and air to remain suspended during the lockdown period. The suspension of Railway services will be extended till April 14, the officials said.
“All the offices should work with a minimum number of employees and all other offices may continue to work-from-home, ” the MHA guidelines read.
“Hospitals and all related medical establishments, including their manufacturing and distribution units, both in public and private sector, such as dispensaries, chemist and medical equipment shops, laboratories, clinics, nursing homes, ambulance, etc. will continue to remain functional, ” it said.
“The transportation for all medical personnel, nurses, para-medical staff, other hospital support services shall be permitted,” the statement added.
All the government offices, it’s autonomous/subordinate offices and publics corporations shall remain closed till April 14, the MHA said that there will be an exception for “defence, central armed police forces, treasury, public utilities (including petroleum, CNG, LPG, PNG), disaster management, power generation and transmission units, post offices, National Informatics Centre, Early Warning Agencies.”
“The offices of the State/Union Territory governments, their autonomous bodies, corporations, etc., shall remain closed with exception to police, home guards, civil defence, fire and emergency services, disaster management, and prisons, district administration and treasury, electricity, water, sanitation, municipal bodies (only staff required for essential services like sanitation, personnel related to water supply, etc.will be allowed to work), ” the statement added.
