Delhi unlocks: Dine-ins to return at 50% capacity; no more odd-even in markets

New Delhi: Restaurants with 50 per cent capacity, weekly markets and religious places will reopen in Delhi from June 14, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Sunday, saying the COVID-19 situation has significantly come under control in the city. Salons, beauty parlours and barber shops closed since the imposition of lockdown on April 19, will also reopen from Monday, officials said.

"All activities, except certain prohibited ones, will be allowed from 5 am on Monday. There are also certain restricted or partly allowed activities announced last week that will continue," Kejriwal said in an online briefing.

He said markets, malls and market complexes allowed to reopen on an odd-even basis, will now open on all days, from 10 am to 8 pm. Only one weekly market per municipal zone per day will be allowed, he said.

"We will watch the relaxation allowed to reopen markets and restaurants during the next week. If Covid cases do not increase, we will continue the relaxation, but if cases increase, we will have to bring back the restrictions. The Capital on Sunday evening reported 255 new infections and 23 more deaths from the virus with a positivity rate of 0.35 per cent. The active case count in Delhi has now come down to 3,466, as per the daily health bulletin of the Delhi government.

"I, therefore, appeal to all market associations and others to prevent crowding and ensure social distancing and other precautions," the chief minister said. Schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutes, cinema halls, multiplexes, theatres, gyms, spas, yoga institutes, swimming pools, auditoriums, banquet halls, amusement and water parks, and public parks and gardens, will continue to be closed till 5 am on June 21, according to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) order issued on Sunday. 

All social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural/religious, festival-related and other gatherings and congregations, stadia, sports complexes barring those used for training or any national or international event, business to business exhibitions, are also prohibited. However, places of religion in the city will be allowed to reopen from Monday, but visitors will not be allowed, the CM said.

He said with the declining number of coronavirus cases, the concern now is to bring Delhi's economy back on track and prepare on a war footing for an anticipated third wave of the infection.

The orders issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority say that restaurant owners, associations and market associations will be responsible for the strict adherence to Covid protocols inside their premises.

"All markets, market complexes, malls and restaurants (up to 50 percent seating capacity) will be allowed to function on a trial basis for one week from 5 am on June 14 to 5 am on June 21," it said

A "very close" watch and supervision will be maintained on the overall functioning of markets, market complexes, malls and restaurants by district magistrates, DCPs, and other authorities.

If it is found that COVID appropriate behaviour is not being followed in markets, market complexes, malls and restaurants, or if the positivity rate and the number of COVID-19 positive people increases in Delhi, these centres will be "closed forthwith without any loss of time" to prevent any upsurge and likelihood of the next wave in Delhi, warned the DDMA.

As for weekly markets, the DDMA has authorised the operation of just one market per day per zone in all three municipal corporations in Delhi (except for those in containment zones) to operate between 4 pm and 10 pm.

No weekly market will be allowed on roadsides and it will have to be set up at suitable grounds where precautions against COVID-19 could be maintained. In addition, it has been directed that these weekly markets will only be allowed at 50 per cent the strength of vendors on usual days.

Stall owners and customers have to maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet and use face masks and hand sanitisers. No joining or merging of stalls will be allowed. Not more than two persons will be allowed to operate a stall, the DDMA order said.

There will be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement of persons and goods, and no separate permission or e-pass will be required for such movements, the order said.

The partly allowed activities announced last week and earlier, including the opening of government and private offices with 50 per cent staff, marriages at home or in the court, operation of Delhi Metro trains and public transport buses with 50 per cent seating capacity, permission for a gathering of 20 persons during funerals, running of autos, e-rickshaws and other last-mile vehicles, will continue up to June 21 morning, it added.

"I hope our lives will be back on track if the Covid cases continue to decline. It is a massive calamity and we have to tackle it together and hope the cases do not increase now," Kejriwal added.