National News

Toll collection across National Highways suspended amid lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic

Sentinel Digital Desk

NEW DELHI: Due to three-week lockdown, toll collection across National Highways has been suspended.

“Closure be treated as Force Majeure,” according to an official release.

A tweet was sent out by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India.

https://twitter.com/MORTHIndia/status/1242864186318700546

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared a 21-day-long complete lock-down for the entire country till April 14 to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The lock-down will come into effect from 12am tonight. In his second address on the unprecedented menace, the Prime Minister said that all people should obey the government’s instruction for their own safety. Otherwise, the country will move backwards by 21 years, he warned. Citing the crises currently faced by Italy and the USA due to the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus Modi said, “I appeal to all our citizens with folded hands not to come out from their homes as the situation is very very alarming. We will fight against the pandemic and win against it. But for that your co-operation is necessary. We must break the virus chain”.

The PM addressed the nation at 8 pm on Tuesday for the second time on the pandemic. On Thursday last week, he addressed the nation on the issue for the first time. He addressed the nation for the second time when the coronavirus pandemic claimed the lives of 10 people and infected more than five hundred people across the country. In a serious tone, the PM said that all people except those who are employed in emergency services like health-care, media, police, fire etc., should stay indoors till April 14,2020 to help contain the outbreak of the dreaded virus. “Everybody should act responsibly. The future of the country depends on you. You may treat the lock-down as a curfew,” he added.