Buses, metro rail won’t run on Sunday: EPS

Julie.Mariappan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:21.03.2020

An hour after attending a video-conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday announced that state transport corporation fleet and metro rail will not be operated on Sunday between 7am and 9pm --when ‘Janata curfew’ is in place.

In a press statement, the chief minister said the private buses and small bus operators should extend full cooperation to the government. “As told by the Prime Minister, people should express their gratitude at 5pm on Sunday to all those personnel who work with a sense of commitment and without being selfish,” Palaniswami said, requesting all to extend support to his government’s measures to combat the spread of coronavirus. The chief minister also said all public and private libraries will be shut down until March 31.

The video conference that went close to two hours saw the chief ministers of six states, including Kerala and Maharashtra interacting with the Prime Minister. Sources said the others, including TN chief minister, were told to communicate in writing to the PMO the suggestions to combat the spread of outbreak. “The PM gave Pan-India instructions to the chief ministers. The foremost is about social distancing to fight the virus and advised the states to fight it out with legal backing,” said a source.

Apparently, Modi had pointed to the exponential growth of imported disease in US and UAE and insisted the state governments to take intensive measures to contain the outbreak. He also had suggested that the services of retired army medical personnel could be availed.

Citing the nine keys instructions of the Prime Minister in video conference – which was also addressed by him to the nation on Thursday, Palaniswami said that people should not go out of homes other than reasons which are necessary. Citizens aged 60 years and above should not step out. The chief minister encouraged the people to come forward and observe ‘Janata curfew’ that would be in place on Sunday between 7am and 9pm. “At 5pm on Sunday, people should go out and clap as a mark of gratitude to doctors, paramedics, health workers, civic staff, army, airport and other departmental staff. Put off plans as much as possible the appointments for surgeries, and visits to the hospitals,” the CM said.