Despite having a population of nearly 20 million, New Delhi's most happening places and roads leading to them now look completely abandoned due to a 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Perhaps for the first time, people are fearful of approaching each other as the idea that social distancing norms and the lockdown will protect them from the coronavirus has firmly settled in the general mindset there.
While at home people are largely glued to their TVs, personal computers, or cellphones to kill time in one way or another, once crowded venues like Connaught Place, Jhandewalan, Panchkuian Road, and other places have hardly seen any human there for days.
Since the lockdown took effect, only media persons, medical professionals, or people with special passes can travel from one place to another.
Thousands of daily wage earners, carrying their kids on their shoulders have already walked in scorching heat to return to hometowns in search of means to survive. The remainder of local residents are confined to their homes.
As of today, India has 3,374 active COVID-19 cases, and 77 people have lost their lives to the infection, according to the federal Health and Family Welfare Ministry.
