Shaniwar Wada Fort temporarily closed for public to prevent spread of Coronavirus

Pune's Shaniwar Wada Fort has been closed temporarily for the public due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. The fort is the latest public spot that has been closed for visitors in the state after a massive increase in the number of confirmed cases in the western state.

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Temples closed

Pune's Kasba Ganpati Mandir, Dagdusheth Shreemant Dagdusheth and Halwai Ganpati Mandir have also been closed for the public.

Mumbai's Siddhivinayak temple has also closed to the public till further notice. A press release said "Due to the spread of Coronavirus worldwide, the number of cases in India is also rising. Looking at which the Maharashtra government as a precautionary measure has requested people to avoid mass gathering. In the wake of Coronavirus, Temple trustee decided to close the temple until further notice."

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At least 124 confirmed cases of the virus have been reported in India with three reported deaths. 

Multiple states across the country have taken up measures to contain the spread of the virus, including shutting down schools, universities, malls and other places where a large number of people can gather. Multiple firms have also implemented work from home so as to not expose the employees to the virus.

The Union government announced a travel ban on and suspended all visas and stated that all existing visas, barring diplomatic, UN/International Organisations, employment and project visas, will stand suspended till April 15, 2020. 

This advisory also applies for people with visa-free travel, and to OCI cardholders, whose visa-free access will be temporarily suspended with effect from March 13, 2020. However, the statement mentioned that any foreign national who intends to travel to India for any compelling reason may contact the nearest Indian Embassy for further clarity or guidance.

The Ministry of External Affairs has also appointed an additional secretary level rank official as nodal officer to coordinate efforts at the global level regarding the spread of COVID-19. 

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Globally, around 7,000 people have died due to Coronavirus, with the epicentre being China. The virus has infected around 1,82,000 people globally and has now spread to North America, South America, Europe, New Zealand, and more than 100 other countries. 

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