India, one of the most densely populated countries in the world, woke up to an eerie calm on Wednesday, its streets relatively deserted.
Life has come to a standstill among its population of over 1.3 billion, with streets once bustling with vendors and pedestrians now deserted, once-jammed thoroughfares all but empty and barely a sight of passengers at railway stations and airports, with all modes of transport shut down.
The nation's capital Delhi, usually crawling with automobile traffic on any given day, remained eerily silent, with residents restricted to their homes amid the coronavirus scare.
Delhi roads, which witness traffic snarls on normal days, remain deserted on day 1 of the countrywide lockdown. #COVID2019 #delhilockdown #IndiaLockdownFor21Days #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/8DFUwDsEHl
— Aakriti Sharma (@_aakritisharma) March 25, 2020
People remained indoors abiding the orders of Modi, who directed a nation-wide lockdown started from 25 March until 15 April as the country races to break the chain of transmission of coronavirus.
As India moves into a 21 Day Lockdown amid Corona virus menace, here's how deserted National Highway in Delhi looks like. Delhi-Gurgaon expressway is one of the busiest and has chaotic traffic jams on usual days.#21daysLockdown #CoronavirusLockdown #Delhi #coronavirusindia https://t.co/luimg9snjB pic.twitter.com/kLPHupUdBY
— Mudasirmattoo (@Mudasirmattoo) March 25, 2020
The viral aerial image of India’s biggest airport of Delhi, Indira Gandhi International airport, shows planes parked after India banned international as well as domestic flight operations.
Delhi Airport Lockdown Parked Planes Twitter Image https://t.co/Z5DPYjXTs9 pic.twitter.com/5feJgzlzuZ
— Explainhindi (@explainhindi) March 24, 2020
India's business capital Mumbai, the country's second-most populous city after Delhi, where many of India's wealthy reside along with Bollywood celebs, was also a virtual ghost town. Its famous beaches and popular Marine drive, always crowded with tourists, remained empty. With 93 coronavirus positive cases, Maharashtra state has recorded the highest number of cases, with two deaths.
— Puff Mammy. (@PaolaAudrey) March 25, 2020
Mumbai Lockdown: India's Financial Capital Dons Deserted Look - https://t.co/TbKrrhx7Pc pic.twitter.com/1QplNENw9U
Places of worships have also been ordered to close. One Hindu pilgrimage site in Jammu and Kashmir, the Vaishno Devi cave-shrine, which has 15,000-18,000 pilgrims on any given day, was among the religious sites ordered to shut down for the 21-day lockdown.
Jammu and Kashmir: Vaishno Devi Temple in Katra shut for devotees amid #21daysLockdown, in wake of the #Coronavirus outbreak. pic.twitter.com/YhAIOGHUkq
— ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2020
An eerie silence has gripped Jammu and Kashmir, which has seven coronavirus cases. The streets of the restive region, which has seen conflicts involving protesters which controversially resulted in its partitioning and loss of statehood last year, were practically devoid of pedestrians.
21days of Lockdown begins, Deserted roads,barbed wires on streets of Srinagar #CoronavirusLockdown #TalsaGharreyBehew
— All About Kashmir (@wakashmir) March 25, 2020
#StayHomeStaySafe
© #BasitZargar pic.twitter.com/YGRaPJEuQs
#Kashmir: 21 days of lockdown begins, deserted roads, barbed wires on streets of #Srinagar. First time in kashmir kashmiri people's listening modi carefully....#NarendraModi#COVID2019#CoronaVirusUpdates #21daysLockdown pic.twitter.com/ihhlZjF16v pic.twitter.com/ptwVen9gnz
— Sabeel Mukhtar Shah (@MukhtarSabeel) March 25, 2020
The thoroughfares of Tamil Nadu state also remained deserted. The state’s Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar announced the first death from COVID-19, of a 54-year-old patient who had tested positive. The state has reported a total of 18 coronavirus cases.
Tamil Nadu: Streets in Chennai wear deserted look as the country observes #21daysLockdown, in wake of #Coronavirus outbreak. pic.twitter.com/fGjuHagcnx
— ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2020
While the number of cases in India is relatively low, with 512 active cases as compared to the United States, Europe or China, Indian Prime Minister Modi has attempted biggest lockdown as a preventive step, anticipating that a mounting toll could lead to a disaster-like situation, far bigger than anywhere else due to the country's billion-plus population.
