States Announce Closures and Dry Day Ahead of Ayodhya Ceremony

Hyderabad: In anticipation of the forthcoming consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, numerous states have announced public holidays or granted half off to government employees. While central government offices will remain closed until 2:30 p.m., several states have also designated January 22 as a ‘dry day,’ prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages. Here is a comprehensive list of the closures:

Nationwide:

Central government establishments, public sector banks, insurance companies, financial institutions, and regional rural banks (RRBs) across the country will observe a half-day closure on January 22.

Central educational institutes such as Jamia Millia Islamia, its schools, and Delhi University will also remain closed until 2:30 p.m.

Stock exchanges NSE and BSE will be closed for trading on January 22.

State-wise Closures:

Assam: All state government offices and educational institutions will remain closed until 2:30 p.m. on January 22.

Chandigarh Union Territory: All offices in the Chandigarh Union Territory administration will be closed on January 22.

Chhattisgarh: Government offices will be closed until 2:30 p.m., with a statewide ban on the sale of meat.

Delhi: Delhi government offices will be closed for half a day on January 22.

Gujarat: All government offices in Gujarat will be closed for half a day on January 22.

Haryana: Government offices, including boards, schools, colleges, corporations, and universities, will be closed until 2:30 p.m. on January 22.

Himachal Pradesh: The state will observe a public holiday on January 22.

Jammu and Kashmir: A half-day public holiday has been declared on January 22.

Madhya Pradesh: Government offices will be closed for half a day, schools and colleges will have a holiday, and the state will observe a ‘dry day.’

Maharashtra: A public holiday has been declared in the state on January 22.

Odisha: All government offices in Odisha will remain closed for half a day.

Puducherry: January 22 will be a public holiday, with all state government offices, educational institutions, and undertakings closed.

Rajasthan: A half-day holiday has been declared, with government offices, schools, and colleges closed until 2 p.m.

Tripura: The Tripura government has declared a half-day holiday until 2:30 p.m. on January 22.

Uttarakhand: All government offices and educational institutions in the state will be closed until 2:30 p.m. on January 22.

Uttar Pradesh: All educational institutions will be closed, and the state will observe a ‘dry day’ on January 22.