In view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, IIT Bombay has announced a virtual shutdown of its campus at Powai here till March 31. In the Tuesday night decision, the IIT-B decided to ask students to vacate hostels by March 20 evening.

"An emergency meeting of all heads of departments and other academic and administrative units was called on Tuesday to take stock of the situation on the campus, arising out of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

"This was particularly needed in view of the increasingly stringent measures being taken by MCGM (Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai) and the state administration, to control the spread of the virus," said an official statement issued by Subhasis Chaudhuri, Director, Indian Institute of Technology B.

An IIT-B official said while the total intake of students is 11,000, many of them have already left the campus for various reasons. "All academic activities of the Institute including research will be effectively closed till March 31," he said.

The statement said that since all departments will remain closed, students will not be allowed to enter the departments and academic areas. "All laboratories and the Central Library will also remain closed," the director said, adding that nobody will be allowed to enter or exit the premises from March 21 onwards.

However, the institute has made some exemptions.

"Students in special circumstances because of which they cannot proceed home (international students and students having medical and other emergencies) must take special permission from the Dean (SA) to continue to remain in the hostel.

Limited messing facilitates may be available for such students whose stay is approved," Chaudhari added.

Maharashtra has reported total 42 COVID-19 cases as on Wednesday.