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Check the full list of states in lockdown or night curfews (updated)

With the Central government yet uncertain on imposing a second nationwide lockdown amid the unrelenting second Covid-19 wave, several states have already put strict curbs for varying periods to contain the chain of transmission.

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Delhi lockdown

When India continues to reel under an unrelenting Covid wave, and the Central government yet uncertain about imposing a second nationwide lockdown, several states have already put strict curbs for varying periods to contain the chain of transmission.

The reason for the Centre’s inability to take the call is because the last lockdown nearly shuttered Indian businesses, after emptying the life savings of the middle and working classes. Which is why PM Narendra Modi left it to the states to go in for restrictions tailored to meet each state’s requirement, which critics say, was like abdicating responsibility.

Here is a list of major states that have imposed restrictions or night curfew to check the spread of coronavirus:

Delhi

The Delhi government imposed a restricted lockdown from April 19. The capital has been witnessing a shortage of oxygen cylinders,ventilators and Covid medicines. In view of it, the Arvind Kejriwal government extended the lockdown for the third consecutive week till May 10.

During the extended lockdown period, shopping malls, markets, schools, colleges, gyms, spas, swimming pools and other non-essential establishments will remain closed. However, essential services, including medical stores and departmental stores, will remain open, the government said. 

The government authorities are acting tough against those violating lockdown norms. Those found violating lockdown norms are being fined Rs 2,000, they are also being arrested and cases are being lodged against them. 

Delhi, meanwhile, is witnessing some signs of improvement in Covid-19 situation with a fall in positivity rate over the last three days from 30% to 26%, as of Wednesday.

Haryana 

The Haryana government had imposed a week-long lockdown in the entire state from May 3. On Sunday, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij had tweeted, Seven days complete lockdown announced in the entire Haryana from May 3. 

Earlier, the government had imposed weekend lockdown in nine districts — Gurugram, Faridabad, Rohtak, Sonipat, Karnal, Panchkula, Hisar, Sirsa and Fatehabad on April 30 till May 3, which has now been extended till May 10.

The state authorities have put strict rules on violation of lockdown norms. Those breaking will have to pay Rs 500 or will be arrested.

Bihar 

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday announced a statewide lockdown till May 15, hours after the Patna High Court directed the Bihar government to impose a lockdown warning that otherwise the court may step in.

The chief minister, in a tweet, said that after discussion with the associate ministers and officials, it was decided to implement the lockdown. The Crisis management group has been instructed to take action in relation to its detailed guidelines and other activities.

Earlier, the state had imposed a night curfew till March 15 in view of the surging Covid infection. The state continued to have a positivity rate of more than 15% for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday, with 14,836 new Covid-19 cases reported against 95,248 samples tested.  

Uttar Pradesh

The Yogi Adityanath-led-government had imposed curfew-like lockdown in the entire state on April 30. The government then announced an extension to the existing weekend lockdown till May 10 morning due to surging cases of coronavirus. 

The corona curfew from Friday 8 pm to Tuesday 7 am, which was extended on May 3 for 48 hours and is in force till May 6 till 7 am has been further extended till Monday (May 10) 7 am, an official spokesman said, adding that further decision to extend the curfew will be taken on Sunday.

During this period, all essential services will be allowed and vaccination drive will continue. It was also decided to intensify the sanitisation drive in all the 75 districts to break the virus chain, the government stated. Currently, the state has more than three lakh active cases.

Odisha 

The Odisha government has announced a 14-day lockdown between May 5 till May 19 to break the chain of transmission. As per the fresh orders complete lockdown will be observed on the weekends while restricted movement will be allowed on the weekday.

Odisha registered 9,889 new Covid-19 cases, 16 Covid-related fatalities, while 6,164 Covid-19 patients recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours, the health department said on Wednesday.

Rajasthan

The Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state has extended the lockdown-like curbs in the state till May 17 in wake of the steep-rise in coronavirus cases across the country.

The order, ‘Pandemic Red Alert- Public Discipline Fortnight’, was issued last week after Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot asked officials to continue with the restrictions imposed under the lockdown.

As of Wednesday, 17,022 people in Rajasthan recovered from Covid-19, according to data provided by the state’s health department. The state recorded 16,815 fresh cases which is reportedly less compared to the number of daily recoveries.

Karnataka

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has announced a statewide lockdown from May 10 to May 24. The state was under partial lockdown from the night of April 27 till May 12, however, it was awaiting further instructions from the Centre on strictures to be imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus.

In a statement, Yediyurappa said, there will be no movement of people allowed in this period. There will be a window of four hours between 6 am and 10 am for people to buy essential items. There will be no industrial activity but in-situ construction is allowed.

Despite the stringent restrictions, the number of Covid cases and fatalities in the state continued to rise. The state has been recording over 45,000 daily cases in the last week.

Punjab

The state is under weekend lockdown and night curfew which will be in force till May 15. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has ruled out a complete lockdown stating that the restrictions currently in place in Punjab were more stringent than the lockdown conditions in many other states.

Kerala

A day after the state reported 41,953 fresh infections, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday announced a full lockdown in the state from May 8 till May 16.

Earlier, the government had imposed a night curfew which was enforced from 9 pm to 5 am, with semi-lockdown-like restrictions during weekends to curb the coronavirus spread.

The decision was taken after the health experts and police departments advised the government to impose a complete lockdown as the current measures were unable to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu government has extended the imposed lockdown from May 10 till May 24 in an attempt to contain the spread of Covid-19. Chief Minister M K Stalin said the lockdown was being enforced due to unavoidable reasons.

According to the new curbs, all government and private offices are directed to function with a maximum of 50% employees. There are also restrictions on travel on rail and government and private buses, on metro trains and on taxis to only 50% of their respective capacities.

Madhya Pradesh

To break the chain of transmission of corona in the state, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan has completely shut everything till May 15, as part of strict ‘Janta Curfew’. We can’t shut things for too long but with more than 18 % positivity we can’t remain open, he said on Thursday.

The chief minister said weddings are super spreader events. All districts must review measures to reduce gatherings and no weddings should be allowed in the month of May, he said in a virtual address.

Earlier, the positivity rate in the state has dropped to 18 per cent from 25 per cent Similarly, the recovery rate among Covid-19 patients is now 85.13 per cent, added the chief minister. According to MP’s Directorate of Health Services, the state had 89,244 active cases of Covid-19 as of Wednesday.

Goa

The Goa government has announced that there will be a state-level curfew from May 9 to May 23. The announcement comes on the day the number of active Covid-19 cases in the state exceeded 30,000 for the first time and recorded 4195 new cases, its highest single-day increase in active Covid-19 positive cases.

The government has lifted a four-day lockdown except in tourist hotspots like Calangute and Candolim in North Goa amid the rising Covid cases.

Telangana

A day after reporting 5,559 fresh coronavirus cases, Telangana has imposed a night curfew between 9 pm and 5 am on May 1, later extended till 5 am on May 15.

Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh has allowed district collectors to extend lockdown, which was to end on May 5, till May 15.

Other States

Gujarat has imposed a night curfew in 29 cities, and extended lockdown till May 12, which was supposed to end on May 5.

In Puducherry, the lockdown has been extended till May 10, while Andhra Pradesh has announced a partial curfew from May 6 for two weeks.

States like Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand have imposed night curfews. In Assam, it was imposed on April 27, which will be in force till May 7.

In Uttarakhand, the government has reimposed several restrictions and night curfew. The Himachal Pradesh administration has imposed night curfew in four districts out of 12 and weekend shutdown.

Northeast states have also imposed strict restrictions amid the Covid spike. Nagaland has imposed partial lockdown with stricter rules from April 30 to May 14, while Mizoram is under an eight-day lockdown in Aizawl and other district headquarters town from May 3.

Read Also: Covid-19 surge: Kerala announces complete lockdown from May 8 to May 16

The Jammu and Kashmir administration, meanwhile, has extended the lockdown in four districts of Srinagar, Baramulla, Budgam, and Jammu till May 10, while Samba too will see some restrictions. Night curfew continues in all municipal/urban local body limits of all 20 districts.

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Thick smog engulfs Delhi, flights and trains delayed as air quality slips to very poor

Delhi remained under a thick smog cover as air quality dipped into the very poor category, causing delays in flights and train services due to low visibility.

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A dense blanket of smog covered Delhi on Saturday morning, pushing air quality into the ‘very poor’ category and disrupting flight and train operations across the national capital and adjoining areas. Reduced visibility due to smog led to delays in air and rail traffic, while authorities warned that pollution levels could worsen further in the coming days.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was recorded at 380, placing it in the ‘very poor’ bracket. Visuals from Bhairav Marg near Pragati Maidan showed motorists using headlights during early hours, as visibility remained low. At around 7 am, the AQI at this location stood at 433.

Nearly half of Delhi’s air quality monitoring stations reported ‘severe’ pollution levels. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 428 with PM2.5 as the dominant pollutant, while Jahangirpuri reported an AQI of 425.

Transport services hit by low visibility

Flight operations at Delhi airport were impacted due to low visibility conditions. The airport issued an advisory asking passengers to check with their respective airlines for updated flight information, as low visibility procedures were in place. Runway visibility was reported to be between 800 and 1,200 metres.

Live flight tracking data showed multiple flights running behind schedule. One airline also warned passengers about possible disruptions at several airports in northern and eastern India, including Delhi, due to dense fog conditions. Travellers were advised to verify flight status before heading to the airport, with options offered on select flights to reschedule or seek refunds without additional charges.

Rail services were also affected, with more than 30 trains running late by an average of three to four hours. Some long-distance trains reported delays of over six to eight hours, causing inconvenience to passengers travelling to and from the capital.

Air quality likely to worsen

The weather department had earlier forecast dense to very dense fog at isolated places over Delhi and several parts of north and central India. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, pollution levels are expected to remain in the ‘very poor’ category on Saturday and may slip into the ‘severe’ category on Sunday and Monday. In view of the deteriorating conditions, an ‘orange’ alert has been issued for Saturday.

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PM Modi inaugurates India’s first nature-themed airport terminal in Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the new nature-themed terminal at Guwahati airport, the largest in Northeast India, built around bamboo, orchids and regional heritage.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the new terminal building of Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport in Guwahati today, marking a major milestone for aviation infrastructure in the Northeast. Built at an estimated cost of around Rs 4,000 crore, the facility is being projected as the largest airport terminal in the region and a key boost to connectivity, tourism and economic activity in Assam.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to arrive in Guwahati around 3 pm as part of his two-day visit to the state.

Northeast’s largest airport terminal takes shape in Guwahati

The newly constructed terminal is nearly seven times larger than the existing one and has been designed to cater to the region’s rapidly growing air traffic. Once fully operational, it is expected to handle up to 13.1 million passengers annually by 2032.

Officials said the terminal is planned as a regional connectivity hub, with a focus on strengthening air links between India and Southeast Asia. The airport will be capable of handling up to 34 air traffic movements per hour, the highest capacity among airports in the Northeast. The facility will also be equipped with one of the most advanced Instrument Landing Systems to support safer and more efficient operations.

Nature-inspired design rooted in Assam’s identity

What sets the Guwahati terminal apart is its distinctive nature-themed architecture. Conceptualised under the theme “Bamboo Orchids”, it is being described as India’s first airport terminal inspired entirely by natural and cultural elements.

The interiors draw from the landscapes of Northeast India, with design elements reflecting indigenous orchids, locally known as Kopou Phool, and the flow of the Brahmaputra river. The terminal incorporates more than 2,000 species of plants, includes a dedicated zone inspired by Kaziranga National Park, and features artefacts representing Majuli Island.

A key architectural highlight is the expansive bamboo vault, created using around 140 metric tonnes of locally sourced bamboo. The space has been envisioned as a multifunctional cultural centre aimed at encouraging community interaction and showcasing the region’s heritage. Design elements such as japi motifs, the iconic rhino symbol and 57 orchid-inspired columns further reinforce the cultural narrative.

Arriving passengers will also experience a unique “Sky Forest”, featuring nearly one lakh plants of indigenous species, designed to create an immersive forest-like ambience within the terminal.

Focus on digital integration and passenger convenience

Spread over nearly 1.4 lakh square metres, the integrated new terminal has been designed to handle around 1.3 crore passengers annually. It is supported by significant upgrades to the runway, airfield systems, aprons and taxiways.

The terminal places strong emphasis on digital integration, with 14 entry points, including four DigiYatra gates, aimed at easing passenger movement. Facilities such as full-body scanners for non-intrusive security checks, automated baggage handling systems, fast-track immigration and AI-driven airport operations have been incorporated to ensure smoother travel experiences.

Other engagements during PM Modi’s Assam visit

During his two-day stay, the Prime Minister will also lay foundation stones for multiple development projects and address public gatherings. He is scheduled to visit the Swahid Smarak Kshetra to pay tribute to the martyrs of the historic Assam Movement.

Later in the day, PM Modi will perform the bhoomipujan for a new brownfield Ammonia-Urea Fertiliser Project at Namrup in Dibrugarh district, within the existing premises of the Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation Limited.

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Assam train accident: Eight elephants killed after Rajdhani Express derailment in Hojai

Eight elephants were killed after the Rajdhani Express collided with a herd in Assam’s Hojai district, causing multiple coaches to derail and disrupting train services.

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At least eight elephants were killed and a calf was injured after a herd collided with the Sairang–New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Assam’s Hojai district, leading to the derailment of the locomotive and five coaches early Saturday. Railway officials confirmed that no passengers were injured in the incident.

Forest department officials said the collision occurred when the New Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express struck a herd of elephants on the tracks. The impact caused multiple coaches to derail, disrupting rail traffic on the busy route connecting the Northeast with the national capital.

Train services hit, passengers shifted to other coaches

Following the derailment, rail movement towards Upper Assam and other parts of the Northeast was affected due to damaged coaches and elephant remains scattered on the tracks. Accident relief trains and senior railway officials rushed to the site to restore services.

Passengers travelling in the affected coaches were temporarily accommodated in vacant berths in other coaches of the same train. Officials said that once the train reaches Guwahati, additional coaches will be attached to ensure all passengers can continue their journey.

Collision occurred outside designated elephant corridor

According to officials, the accident took place at a location that is not marked as a designated elephant corridor. The loco pilot reportedly applied emergency brakes after spotting the herd on the tracks, but the elephants ran into the train, resulting in the collision and derailment.

Forest authorities confirmed that eight elephants died on the spot, while one injured calf was rescued. Local residents said the herd consisted of around eight elephants at the time of the accident.

Elephant deaths in train accidents remain a concern

The incident comes amid continued concerns over wildlife deaths on railway tracks. Data shared by the Environment Ministry in Parliament earlier showed that at least 79 elephants have died in train collisions across India over the past five years, based on reports from states and Union Territories.

The ministry has said that several preventive steps are being taken in coordination with the Railways, including speed restrictions in elephant habitats, use of sensor-based detection systems, and construction of underpasses, ramps and fencing at vulnerable locations. Guidelines and capacity-building programmes have also been introduced to reduce human-animal conflict along railway lines.

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