NEW DELHI: An 18-day monsoon session of parliament started with unprecedented precautions against the coronavirus, including staggered sittings of both houses and social distancing between MPs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his traditional comments before the parliament session, delivered a strong message on the China dispute at the border.

"We hope parliament and all members will unitedly send the message that the nation stands with our soldiers," PM Modi said. A record plunge in the economy, marked by the first contraction in four decades, Chinese aggression at the border and the Covid-19 crisis are likely to be discussed, besides the listed agenda of 18 bills.

An all-party meeting was not held this time because of the coronavirus outbreak, the government said on Sunday. There will be four-hour sittings and parliament will function seven days a week. Only written questions and answers will be allowed, which has hugely upset the opposition.

The Rajya Sabha will function from 9 AM to 1 PM, the Lok Sabha for 3 PM to 7 PM. Only on the first day, the Lok Sabha is meeting in the morning session. Instead of the Question Hour, un-starred questions will be laid on the table, the government has said.

The short hours and the absence of a Question Hour had upset the opposition. "This government continues to mock parliament. They have cancelled Question Hour, slashed Zero Hour by half, want to rush bills without any scrutiny and create an ordinance raj like never seen before in the last 70 years. The world and our glorious nation must know, this is very dangerous for democracy," Trinamool's Derek O'Brien tweeted.

There will be 11 bills replacing a slew of ordinances issued since March, when parliament was adjourned indefinitely in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Days later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the countrywide lockdown.

The bills that will replace ordinances include the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, one of regulation of support prices, one on Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, the new rule on taxation and the salaries and allowances of MPs and ministers.

The new bills that are to be brought in include three on labour laws that concern provident fund, insurance, maternity benefits, industrial disputes and trade unions and industrial safety and welfare laws.

The session, the first since the outbreak of coronavirus, is being held amid huge safety measures at the parliament building complex. The measures include seating MPs in a staggered way in chambers of both Houses, as well as galleries to maintain physical distancing, introduction of mobile app for registering of their attendance and seats separated with poly-carbon sheets in the House.