Barricades in place near the India Gate in New Delhi on Friday. The Centre has decided to extend the nationwide lockdown for two more weeks from May 4 to stem the spread of the coronavirus. (Express photo by Amit Mehra)

The Centre on Friday decided to further extend the coronavirus-induced nationwide lockdown for two more weeks from May 4. The lockdown, which was initially planned for 21 days starting March 25, has now been extended for the third time. This comes even as the total number of COVID-19 in the country rose to 35,365 on Friday, including 1,152 deaths, the Union Health Ministry said.

The Union Home Ministry also issued a set of divided districts in the country into ‘red’, ‘orange’ and ‘green’ zones as per the doubling rate and number of cases. At least 130 districts are in the red zone, 284 in orange and 319 in green. Metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai and Ahmedabad are in the red zone. The government said it could be possible to relax restrictions in red and orange zones. (Here is the full list)

The ministry also issued an order allowing movement of stranded migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and others by special trains operated by the Railways Ministry. The first such train carrying about 1,000 migrant labourers left Telangana’s Lingampally at 6 am Friday morning and reached Hatia in Jharkhand at 11 pm. At least 1,000 workers from Aluva in Kerala will reach Bhuvaneshwar in Odisha on Saturday.

Meanwhile, on the global front, the coronavirus has claimed at least over 235,000 lives and infected over 3.3 million people, according to a tally by John Hopkins University. The United States continues to be the worst-hit, with over 10,00,000 cases and 61,000 deaths.

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Coronavirus India LIVE Updates: Govt extends lockdown by two weeks; first batch of migrants reach Jharkhand; India cases rise to over 35,000; govt splits country into red, orange and green zones.

02:23 (IST)02 May 2020

Covid-19: Over 2,35,000 deaths globally

02:22 (IST)02 May 2020

Lockdown 3.0 from May 4

Migrants in Nashik being taken back to their native places in buses. (Express Photo: Prashant Nadkar)

The Centre divided districts in the country into ‘red’, ‘orange’ and ‘green’ zones as per the doubling rate and number of cases. At least 130 districts are in the red zone, 284 in orange and 319 in green. Metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai and Ahmedabad are in the red zone. The government said it could be possible to relax restrictions in red and orange zones.

After getting the nod from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Railways will run “Shramik Special” trains from Friday to move migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places due to the Covid-19 lockdown, which has been extended by two more weeks starting May 4.

In a statement, the Railway Ministry said these special trains will be run from point to point on the request of both the concerned state governments as per the standard protocols for sending and receiving such stranded persons. “The Railways and state governments shall appoint senior officials as nodal officers for coordination and smooth operation of these ‘Shramik Specials’,” it said.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat has said the Air Force will carry out flypasts across the country on May 3 to display their gratitude to all “corona warriors”. While addressing a joint press conference with three armed services chiefs,—Army chief General M M Naravane, Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria— CDS General Rawat said Navy warships will be lit up and their choppers will be used for showering flower petals on hospitals treating Covid patients.

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Coronavirus LIVE Updates: India enters lockdown 3.0; cases cross 35\,000 mark

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: India enters lockdown 3.0; cases cross 35,000 mark

Coronavirus Cases in India, Covid-19 Tracker LIVE updates: The Union Home Ministry also issued a set of divided districts in the country into ‘red’, ‘orange’ and ‘green’ zones as per the doubling rate and number of cases.

Coronavirus India LIVE Updates: Govt extends lockdown by two weeks; first batch of migrants reach Jharkhand; India cases rise to over 35,000; govt splits country into red, orange and green zones.