No public celebration on New Year's Eve in Delhi, Mumbai

Indian authorities clamped night curfew and other curbs in Delhi and Mumbai cities and Odisha state to prevent public gatherings for New Year celebrations in order to check the spread of Covid-19.

The measures came as the country's total tally of the virus infections reached 1,02,66,674 and the death toll rose to 148,738 today, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

"No celebratory events, congregations and gatherings at public places would be permitted in the Indian capital, known for boisterous celebration of New Year, from 11pm (local time) of December 31 to 6am of January 1 and 11pm of January 1 to 6am of January 2," the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said in a statement. Traffic movement, however, will not be restricted.

The Indian government on Monday also asked the states to consider a series of restrictions and keep New Year celebrations low key after 21 cases of new coronavirus strain, which emerged in Britain, were reported across the country.

The home ministry, in a letter to all states on Monday, had urged them to ensure strict vigil to check the spread of coronavirus. "The number of Covid-19 active cases is declining steadily in the country for the last three-and-half months. However, keeping in view the fresh surge of Covid-19 cases in Europe and America, there is still a need for maintaining comprehensive precaution and strict surveillance within our country," a top official had written to the states.

New Year celebrations "pose a considerable threat of the spread of the virus and may cause a setback to the appreciable gains made in the suppression of chain of transmission of Covid-19 cases in Delhi," the DDMA said in its statement, adding that a "detailed assessment of the situation" in the city has been made in view of the threat posed by the mutated UK strain of Covid-19 virus.

Curbs were also imposed in Mumbai, India's financial and entertainment hub, on December 31 and January 1. The tally of Covid-19 cases in Mumbai rose to 2,92,722 on Wednesday night, the city's civic body said in a statement. The death toll due to the pandemic in the city reached 11,107.

Mumbai police pointed out that a night curfew is in place, prohibiting gathering of five or more persons between 11pm and 6am and gatherings in restaurants, bars and pubs post-11pm. Loudspeaker/DJ music beyond permissible limit and fireworks are also prohibited.

The Odisha government has prohibited congregations at hotels, restaurants, clubs, parks and other public places on December 31 and January 1 for New Year events.