COVID-19: Uber, Ola won't operate during Delhi lockdown till March 31

No public transport—including private buses, taxis, autorickshaws—are allowed

ola uber rep Representational image

Services of Ola and Uber will not be available in Delhi till March 31 amid the lockdown announced by the state government to contain the spread of coronavirus infection.

The Delhi government on Sunday said the city will be in lockdown from March 23 to 31, under which no public transport, including private buses, taxis and autorickshaws, will be allowed.

"Uber is complying with all Central and state government directives related to its services for containing the spread of coronavirus," an Uber spokesperson said in response to a query.

An Ola spokesperson said the company "will enable a minimal network of vehicles to support essential services in cities, wherever applicable, as part of this national effort to reduce the contagion of COVID-19".

The two companies—which account for a major share of the taxis running in the national capital—had already suspended temporarily their shared rides on their respective platforms.

The Central and state governments have decided to completely lock down 80 districts across the country where coronavirus cases have been reported.

In view of the need to contain the spread of the deadly COVID-19, it was agreed that there was an urgent need to extend the restrictions on the movement of non-essential passenger transport. The districts where lockdown was announced were located in a number of states, including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Delhi has been locked down from 6am on March 23 and will continue to be so till midnight on March 31.

The city's borders will remain sealed during the lockdown, but essential services related to health, food, water and power supply will continue, and 25 per cent of the DTC buses will run to transport people associated with essential services.

All domestic and international flights have been suspended in Delhi.

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