Delhi bans Holi, Navaratri, Shab-e-Barat gatherings in view of rising COVID-19 cases

Delhi has been witnessing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases (Representative image: AP)

In view of the rising COVID-19 cases, the Delhi government has banned all gatherings on the occasions of Holi, Navaratri and Shab-e-Barat, an official order said on March 23.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has warned of penal action against those found flouting the government order barring congregations on the upcoming festive occasions.

The national capital has witnessed a persistent rise in the coronavirus cases over the past fortnight, the DDMA noted in its order.

"It is anticipated that gathering, congregations and public celebrations during upcoming festivals like Holi, Shab-e-Barat, Navratri etc., may pose a considerable threat of the spread of virus and may cause a setback to the appreciable gains made in the suppression of chain of transmission of Covid-19 cases in Delhi," it added.

"Considering this, it has been decided that public celebrations and all gatherings/congregations during upcoming festivities should not be allowed in public places," the order stated.

Shab-e-Barat is scheduled to be observed on the night of March 28, followed by Holi on March 29. The Chaitra Navratri would begin from April 13.

Also read: No Holi celebrations, only Holika Dahan allowed in Gujarat

Apart from banning congregations and public celebrations, the Delhi government has also decided to conduct random testing for COVID-19 at the airport, railway stations and bus stops, news agency PTI reported citing sources.

The fresh measures, aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus, comes amid an alarming increase in the per-day count of cases in the national capital.

A total of 1,101 COVID-19 cases were reported on March 23, the highest in over three months. Four infected patients succumbed to the disease in the preceding 24 hours, the health department said. The tally of active infections surged to 4,411, highest since January 6.