Azadpur fruit mandi needs to be shifted to Tikri Khampur, suggests Delhi Police

New Delhi: The Delhi Police has written to the Chairman of Azadpur Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) suggesting that they shift their fruit mandi to Tikri Khampur near Alipur border.

Apart from Azadpur' APMC, the letter has also been addressed to the APMC chairmen of Narela, Najafgadh, Keshopur and Ghazipur markets. "It has been learnt that some employees of APMC Azadpur have reportedly found Corona positive. Ghazipur Mandi was closed for two days for cleaning and sanitization as cases were also reported from this mandi," the letter reads.

The letter further reads: "It is reported that in the forthcoming days, the volume of fruits coming from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir to Azadpur Mandi will increase a lot. This will further increase the rush and burden on the mandi. It is suggested that the fruit mandi may be shifted to Tikri Khampur near Alipur border where it is reported that about 70 acres of land can be utilized as open fruit mandi."

The Delhi Police, in its letter to these APMCs, said that mandis like Daryaganj, located in congested areas may be partially or completely shifted to wide-open spaces behind the Red Fort or the IGI stadium till the pandemic blows over.

"Similarly, the Keshopur mandi can also be decongested by shifting at least the retailers to nearby open grounds or DDA Parks," the letter said. The Delhi Police also suggested APMCs that all the staff working in all markets may be tested for COVID-19.

"The staff may be deployed in mandis with all safety precautions like PPEs, masks, gloves, goggles and hand sanitisers. Regular cleaning of mandis should be done before opening and after closing," Delhi Police told the APMCs.

Roping in civil defence staff, home guards and other volunteers for strict enforcement of social distancing norms in markets, regular removal of garbage, regular live or

regular announcement in mandis were few other points suggested.

To prevent the formation of a cluster like the one in Koyambedu, Tamil Nadu (which have now resulted in 2,600 cases), the Delhi Police have also asked APMCs to follow safety precautions on priority to contain the spread of the virus in the markets as the probability of infection reaching throughout the city cannot be ruled out because vegetables and fruits reach almost every household in the

Capital through local vendors and retailers from

these mandis.