Delhi

New Delhi, May 9 (PTI) The ongoing lockdown in Delhi will be extended for another week up to May 17 morning and Metro train services will be halted during the period, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday.

He said although COVID-19 cases have come down in the last few days, but any slackness would squander the gains achieved so far in the current wave of the pandemic.

New Delhi, May 7 (PTI) Kuwait has sent 215 tonnes of liquid oxygen to India and it plans to supply up to 1,400 tonnes to help the country deal with an acute shortage of the life-saving gas in view of surging cases of coronavirus infections.

Kuwaiti ambassador Jasem Ibrahem Al Najem said three ships of Indian Navy and a commercial vessel are bringing 215 tonnes of liquid oxygen and large consignments of other medical supplies to India and the first shipment is likely to arrive on Sunday.

New Delhi, May 7 (PTI) At least four private hospitals in Delhi sent SOS calls to authorities over shortage of medical oxygen on Friday.

The healthcare facilities included Kukreja Hospital in Mayur Vihar, Batra Hospital in Tughlakabad Institutional Area, Sir Ganga Ram-Kolmet Hospital, Pusa Road, and Irene Hospital in Kalkaji.

Government officials promptly responded to SOS calls and supplied three D-type cylinders to Irene Hospital and Kukreja Hospital.

New Delhi, May 7 (PTI) Renowned sitar player Prateek Chaudhuri has died due to COVID-related complications, almost a week after his father, music maestro Pandit Devbrata Chaudhuri, succumbed to the virus.

According to music historian Pavaj Jha, Prateek Chaudhuri, 49, was admitted to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital here and breathed his last on Thursday.

New Delhi, May 7 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre to keep supplying 700 MT of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) to Delhi for treating COVID-19 patients on a daily basis till further orders.

A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the submission of the Delhi government on deficient supply of LMO to the national capital and warned that it will pass orders against officials concerned if 700 MT of LMO is not supplied daily.

New Delhi, May 7 (PTI) Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday accused the Modi government of having failed the people of the country in handling the pandemic and demanded that an all-party meeting be convened immediately on the COVID-19 situation.

The battle against the pandemic transcends political differences and everyone has to fight it together as a nation, she said at a virtual meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party.

New Delhi, May 6 (PTI) In one of the steepest increase since daily price revision was started, petrol price on Thursday was hiked by 25 paise per litre and diesel by 30 paise as oil companies raised rates for the third straight day to pass on to consumers the increase in international oil prices.

Petrol price in Delhi was increased to Rs 90.99 per litre from Rs 90.74 while diesel rates went up to Rs 81.42 a litre from Rs 81.12, according to a price notification by state-owned fuel retailers.

New Delhi, May 6 (PTI) The Indian Army has set up a 'COVID management cell' to ensure better coordination in extending support to civil authorities across the country to deal with surging cases of coronavirus infections.

Officials said the responsibility of the cell is to bring in greater efficiency in coordinating the Army's response to call for help from state governments as well as authorities in union territories.

New Delhi, May 7 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday attacked the Union government over the central vista project, terming it a "criminal wastage" and asked the dispensation to focus on people's lives.

The redevelopment project of the Central Vista -- the power corridor of the country -- envisages a new triangular Parliament building, a common Central Secretariat and the revamping of the three-km-long Rajpath from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate and new residences for the prime minister and the vice president.

New Delhi, May 6 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the national capital received 730 metric tonnes of oxygen on May 5.

In a letter, Kejriwal said that it was for the first time the national capital received more than 700 metric tonnes of the life-saving gas.