Delhi government had imposed a ban on Holi celebrations in public places.

Due to an increase in the COVID-19 cases, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority had ordered a ban on celebrating festivals in public places.

Due to an increase in the COVID-19 cases, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority had ordered a ban on celebrating festivals in public places. The authority issued specific instructions to all District Magistrates on March 23, 2021, prohibiting public gatherings during the festival. Amid the pandemic, the administration announced random testing at airports, railway stations, and Inter-state bus terminals. The order anticipated that crowds, congregations, and public gatherings during the festivals of Holi, Shab-e-Barat, and Navaratri could pose a significant risk of the virus spreading. The ban comes on the same day that Delhi reported 1,101 new COVID-19 cases, the largest single-day rise since December 19, 2020, when it reported 1,100 cases. As a precautionary measure, several state governments and authorities have declared a ban on public celebrations of Holi and Navratri.

On March 23, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation released an order banning public, group, and private celebrations of Holi and Rangpanchami. Gujarat, Odisha, Chandigarh states also banned public gatherings during any upcoming occasions, Hindustan Times reported.

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