Punjab extends lockdown till May 1

CHANDIGARH: Amid apprehensions of community spread of COVID-19, the Punjab Government on Friday decided to extend the curfew in the state till May 1, 2020.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Council of Ministers, chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, to check community spread of the pandemic and to prevent overcrowding at the Mandis in the light of the ensuing wheat harvesting/procurement season.

Captain Singh is expected to convey the decision to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the latter’s Saturday conference with chief ministers, according to an official spokesperson.


Citing the grim projections about the spread of the pandemic in the coming weeks, the Chief Minister said the curfew restrictions were essential so that the medical infrastructure is not burdened beyond its capabilities.

There was general consensus in the medical community that the lockdown curbs would only delay the spread of the disease, he said, hoping that some medication/cure would be found soon.

The Punjab government recently also made face masks mandatory for its citizens who are out in public.

The Council of Ministers also decided to set up a multi-disciplinary task force to formulate an exit strategy for gradual relaxation of the lockdown. The task force will have about 15 members representing trade, business, industry, agriculture, civil society and health care professionals and is expected to submit a report within 10 days.

678 new cases and 33 casualties were reported in the last 24 hours in the country, with the cumulative death toll now at 206 and case count at 6,761.