Lockdown goes from 21 to 40 days, curbs may be conditionally eased in some non-hotspot areas from April 20

NEW DELHI: Sticking with his “saving lives comes first”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced extension of the countrywide lockdown against the coronavirus pandemic until May 3, saying that the “stay-at-home” regimen will be enforced even more stringently at least until April 20.

Emphasising the continuing spread of the disease and that adherence to social distancing and lockdown alone can be the bulwark, the PM said tougher enforcement of the twin prescriptions could be extended beyond April 20 if intensive monitoring stretching down to “each block and and police station” showed violations or growth of infections.

With Tuesday’s decision, the period of the lockdown, which began on March 25, would extend to 40 days.

“We have to be very vigilant about hotspots and be alert about places which run the risk of becoming hotspots. The creation of new hotspots will nullify our hard work and discipline and create new challenges. Hence, we have to step up the alertness and strictness in the next week. Until Apri