Hailing from a city in Uttar Pradesh, Divyani is currently living with her friend in South Delhi's Freedom Fighters Enclave. Her area has been declared as a COVID-19 hotspot, which effectively translates to no venturing out of the house for a number of days and stricter measures to control the spread of the virus.
In the neighbourhood, the coronavirus is more active than many other areas.
Extensive police barricades make the area look like a fortress. Across the country, local civic administrations have declared certain areas as hotspots and containment zones. Barring a few rare exceptions, people in such areas are physically cut off from the outside world.?
¡°None of us is allowed to venture outside for any purpose. If we need groceries, there¡¯s a guard who lives downstairs, we simply ask him to get stuff delivered to us. We can¡¯t go outside, so this is the only way we can get groceries and other necessary items,¡± says 25-year-old Divyani, who is currently working from home.?
For the residents of high-rise apartments, the only fear is to contract the virus and risk the well-being of friends and family, but the poor and daily wagers living in adjacent areas are at a greater loss.??
¡°We still have all the necessary means to keep our refrigerators stocked, but the people who live in nearby areas and are from the financially marginal segments are at a greater risk. It is one hell of a time for them,¡± she adds.
When asked about the functioning of the society and shops around, Divyani says there are regular police patrols and anyone venturing out on road is subject to police enquiry. Grocery stores open from 7am to 1pm and anyone needing from the stores can get the groceries only in this duration. "If the store has more than 2-3 people, the police come in and ask them to leave," she adds.
The entry and exit areas of the locality are sealed and fruit and vegetable vendors are not allowed to venture. In her area, there are around 20 policemen who monitor the situation even in the scorching heat.?
¡°I have a friend who is solely dependent on restaurant orders for meals and it is definitely a hard time for him. I can still stock up everything and cook whenever I want to but for several people like him, it gets difficult. Everything is shut and police ask several questions from delivery guys. At this point, not getting infected is paramount but one should not struggle for survival,¡± she adds.
Thousands of people like Divyani in numerous hotspots in Delhi and across the country have a similar story to tell. As the nationwide lockdown is now extended to May 3, there aren¡¯t many relaxations for the common public in sight until we manage to flatten the curve.