All shops, restaurants in Chandigarh ordered to close by 7 PM on May 9

In a directive issued on Friday, all commercial establishments including shops and restaurants in Chandigarh have been ordered to shut by 7:00 PM today, May 9, 2025, according to the Department of Public Relations of the Union Territory.

The restriction, however, does not apply to medical shops, which have been exempted from the order.



The order comes hours after the Chandigarh administration sounded air raid sirens in the morning, warning residents to stay indoors amid fears of a possible aerial attack.

An official message stated, "An air warning has been received from the Air Force station of a possible attack. Sirens are being sounded. All are advised to remain indoors and away from balconies."

Also read: Chandigarh on alert after air warning issued by Air Force Station

Chandigarh, the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana, has been on high alert as tensions escalate between India and Pakistan following a series of recent attacks and counter-attacks. The Mohali administration in neighbouring Punjab also issued a warning, asking residents in sectors bordering Chandigarh to stay inside and away from windows and glass panes.

"There is an alert in some areas of Chandigarh. We are advising Mohali residents in the bordering sectors to remain indoors and away from windows," read a message from Mohali officials.

This is the second time in two days that sirens have been heard in Chandigarh. On Thursday night, India intercepted Pakistani attempts to strike military installations with drones and missiles targeting cities including Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur.

According to the Defence Ministry, Pakistan attempted to hit military sites in at least 15 locations—Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj.

Operation Sindoor India Pakistan Live: All shops, restaurants in Chandigarh to close by 7 PM today; medical shops exempted

These attempted strikes came in retaliation to India’s Operation Sindoor, a precision missile offensive launched earlier this week on nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Indian response followed the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians.