India's current 21-day Covid-19 lockdown has hit newspaper deliveries and readers who are worried about safety issues.

Vendors are reported to be not collecting newspapers because resident welfare association and housing societies in major cities such as Delhi, Gurugram, Noida and Mumbai have barred newspaper delivery boys in their premises.

But chief executive of Times of India publisher Bennett Coleman and Co. Raj Jain has moved to refute community apprehensions.

"Despite all the efforts and awareness, fake news is being circulated about newspaper printing and distribution," he says. "The newspaper printing, folding and bundling are all done without the human touch."

Trade magazine Indian Printer and Publisher has reported that there has been no physical delivery of newspaper editions of BCCL's Times of India and Economic Times, as well as Hindustan Times and others in Mumbai since March 23.

Jain says bundles are loaded onto fumigated trucks by gloved and masked handlers and strict hygiene discipline has been encouraged among delivery boys.

"Neither the World Health Organisation nor India's Health Ministry has issued any recommendations or advisories to restrict newspapers as a step towards prevention or spread of the disease.

"Eminent doctors including leading virologists have categorically stated that the newspaper carries no risk of carrying the infection."

Jain says newspapers are an "essential commodity today, owing to a heavy dose of misinformation floating on the electronic media, and continue to deliver authenticated news and information around the epidemic.