Night curfew in Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot from today; here's what will remain open

In a bid to bring under control the COVID-19 pandemic in the city, a curfew has been imposed in Ahmedabad from 9 pm on November 20 to 6 am on November 23, after which a night curfew will remain in force.

"Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation declared night curfew from 9 pm to 6 am every day from November 21 in order to control the spread of Covid-19," an order said on Thursday.

The Gujarat government on Friday also decided to impose night curfew in Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot cities from November 21. "The curfew will remain in force until further announcement. I urge citizens to cooperate with authorities to contain the virus," Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said in a statement.

In view of the complete curfew imposed in Ahmedabad city by the Gujarat state government, Metro services in the city will remain suspended on November 21 and November 22.

"Metro services will resume on November 23, Monday," said the official statement of Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation.

During this period, only shops selling milk and medicines will be permitted to remain open.

Additional Chief Secretary Dr Rajiv Kumar Gupta, speaking to reporters on Thursday, informed that, a night curfew will remain in force even after the end of the "complete curfew" until the COVID-19 situation is brought under control.

"In a bid to control the COVID-19 pandemic in Ahmedabad, a few other important decisions have also been taken by the Gujarat government and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. Around 1,300 new beds are being availed in Ahmedabad," Gupta said.

He said that currently around 2,600 of the total 7,500 beds are vacant in Ahmedabad hospitals. "There is no shortage of beds in Ahmedabad for COVID-19 patients. The state government and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation are working to ensure no COVID-19 patient faces any problem in getting a bed for treatment," Gupta said.

"Number of ambulances are also being increased in the city. Hospitals beds, which are lying vacant in hospitals near Ahmedabad, are also being reserved," he added.

Meanwhile, the Gujarat government also decided to postpone the reopening of schools and colleges in Gujarat, which were earlier proposed to reopen from November 23, in the wake of the current coronavirus situation in the state.

(With agency inputs)