Uber, Ola Suspend Services In Delhi From Today Due To Coronavirus Lockdown

Services of Ola and Uber will not be available in Delhi till March 31 amid the lockdown announced by the state government to contain the spread of coronavirus infection. The Delhi government on Sunday said the city will be in lockdown from March 23 to 31, under which no public transport, including private buses, taxis and autorickshaws will be allowed. "Uber is complying with all Central and State Government directives related to its services for containing the spread of Coronavirus," an Uber spokesperson said in response to a query. An Ola spokesperson said the company "will enable a minimal network of vehicles to support essential services in cities, wherever applicable, as part of this national effort to reduce the contagion of COVID-19".

The two companies -- which account for a major share of the taxis running in the national capital -- had already suspended temporarily their shared rides on their respective platforms. The Centre and state governments have decided to completely lock down 80 districts across the country where coronavirus cases have been reported. In view of the need to contain the spread of the deadly COVID-19, it was agreed that there was an urgent need to extend the restrictions on the movement of non-essential passenger transport.

The districts where lockdown was announced include Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Delhi will be locked down from 6 am on March 23 and continue till midnight on March 31. The city's borders will remain sealed during the lockdown, but essential services related to health, food, water and power supply will continue, and 25 per cent of the DTC buses will run to transport people associated with essential services.

Meanwhile, the total number of coronavirus cases in the national capital on Sunday increased to 30, even as the Delhi Health Department issued an order saying people violating the prescribed norms shall face punishment. The Delhi government on Sunday also imposed a lockdown in the entire city from March 23 to midnight of March 31. These 30 cases include six people from outside the city -- two from Kolkata and one each from Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan and AndhraPradesh.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the national capital has thus risen to 30, the department said in a statement. By Saturday night, the number of cases of the deadly virus in the city stood at 27. Out of the total 30 cases, five were discharged, one died earlier and one migrated out of the country. Eleven coronavirus-positive patients are admitted at Safdarjung Hospital, six at LNJP Hospital and five at Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital and one at GTB Hospital, the department said.