No odd-even rule for vehicles, shop timings curtailed in Chandigarh as curfew lifted

Shops selling non-essential goods to open too, but under odd-even rule, between 10am and 6pm

Modifying some of the relaxations and restrictions announced on Saturday, the Chandigarh administration on Sunday decided not to implement the odd-even formula for vehicles while reducing the market timings to eight hours from 12 hours.

The lockdown will continue for another two weeks while the curfew imposed in the city on March 24 will be lifted from Monday.

The development comes after traders and resident bodies questioned the move, with even social media users pitching in.

In the detailed order issued on Sunday, the administration stated that all shops dealing in non-essential goods in internal sector markets (neighbourhood shops) will remain open from 10am to 6pm on odd-even basis. It means, shops with numbers ending with even digit will be open on even-numbered dates and those with odd on odd-numbered dates.

In the Saturday order, the timings were fixed as 7am to 7pm, corresponding with the window given for the movement of people.

Shops selling essential goods, such as groceries, milk, vegetables and medicines, will remain open on all days. However, the relaxations don’t cover hotels, restaurants, discotheques, salons, barber shops, spa centres, gyms and apni mandis, and these will remain shut.

Meanwhile, shops selling liquor, paan, gutka and tobacco will have to ensure minimum six-foot distance between customers, and also ensure that not more than five of them are present at one time in the shop. Also, only sale of liquor is allowed and taverns will remain closed.

MALLS, CONGESTED AND MAIN MARKETS TO REMAIN SHUT

In view of need for social distancing, all congested markets, such as Patel Market in Sector 15, Gandhi Market in Sector 18, Sadar Bazar and Palika Bazar in Sector 19, Shastri Market in Sector 22, Janata Market in Sector 27, Krishna Market in Sector 41 and Rehri Market in Sector 46, will remain closed. Significantly, some of the market associations had declared on Sunday that they would keep their establishments closed on their own if there were no instructions from the administration.

Shops in Sector 17, malls and market complexes such, as Elante Mall, DLF Mall, and shops located on sector dividing roads, such as Madhya Marg and Dakshin Marg, will also remain closed.

Criticising the administrations decision on the Sector 17 market, Chandigarh Business Council president Neeraj Bajaj said: “Sector 17 has spacious shops with ample parking and verandahs. Social distancing could have been easily observed here. In fact, Sector 17 should have been the first market to open to test whether social distancing will work in the city post curfew.”

Chandigarh Beopar Mandal chairman Charanjiv Singh said: “Opening shops for more than five hours doesn’t make sense. We shopkeepers feel exposed dealing with public for such a long time.”

MOVEMENT PROHIBITED BETWEEN 7PM AND 7AM

All non-essential activities and people movement will remain strictly prohibited between 7 pm and 7am and residents will have to stay indoors as per the prohibitory orders issued by the district magistrate.

However, reversing the odd-even rule, all vehicles can ply between 7am and 7pm. Four-wheelers can have maximum two passengers besides the driver while a two-wheeler cannot have a pillion rider.

UT adviser Manoj Kumar Parida said: “We realised that odd-even rule for vehicles will be difficult for people when there is no public transport. Also, carpooling will promote infection, though it will prevent pollution.”

Also, persons above 65 years of age, those with co-morbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years have to stay at home at all times, except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes, as per the national directives.

MANDATORY MASKS, RESTRICTED GATHERINGS

Wearing of face cover (mask) is also compulsory in public places as well as work places, as per the order issued on Sunday.

Work places have to keep adequate stock of such face covers.

Meanwhile, no organisation or manager of public place can allow gathering of five or more people. Marriages related gatherings have to ensure social distancing, and the maximum number of guests allowed can not be more than 50. Funeral rites related gatherings too have to ensure social distancing and the maximum numbers allowed is 20.

RESIDENT BODIES REMAIN DIVIDED

The administration had on Saturday decided to lift the curfew while restricting the containment zones to six affected pockets, including parts of hotspots Bapu Dham Colony and Sector 30, where no relaxations are to be granted.

Residents remained divided over both the Saturday and Sunday orders.

Federation of Sector Welfare Associations Chandigarh (FOSWAC) chairman Baljinder Singh Bittu said: “The administration has taken a bold decision and we stand behind it. Life cannot stop just because of Covid-19 and sooner or later we will have to go back to our previous routines.”

However, Chandigarh Residents Association Welfare Federation (CRAWFED) chairman Hitesh Puri felt the relaxation is still too long. “The move should have been done in a phased manner. Eight-hour relaxation is too long; the market hours should be reduced to six as fresh cases are still being reported in Chandigarh.”

OTHER REVISED, NEW DECISIONS

All government offices will be opened on May 4, but no public dealing will take place till May 11. Even Sampark Centres will open from May 11.

Interstate travel will be allowed for permitted activities only. Passes issued by the deputy commissioners of Mohali and Panchkula will be honoured, though thermal scanning will be done at entry points.

Traders residing in Mohali and Panchkula but having shops in Chandigarh will require passes from the respective deputy commissioners, clarified UT principal secretary, home, Arun Gupta.

KHER’S ADVICE GOES UNHEEDED

Advocating for continuation of strict restrictions in the city, MP Kirron Kher had voiced strong reservations over the administration’s decision to allow opening up of markets, businesses and workplaces.

“I shared my concerns with the UT officials on Saturday over allowing major relaxations at time when the cases are increasing in the city. Only essential services and shops should be allowed to be open now.” However, the administration made no major change in its decision despite this advice.

Commenting on it, Parida said: “As an MP, she has every right to give her views. All should respect her opinion. The administrator has taken the decision after taking views of all stakeholders and experts, keeping in view the home ministry’s directions.”

ENJOY THE CONFUSION, SAYS PARIDA

After the Saturday order, UT adviser Manoj Parida took to Twitter, responding 700 queries, to bring clarity on various decisions, especially the odd-even rule, but ended up suggesting: “Enjoy the confusion”.

Pointing out the formula’s impracticality, a Twitter user asked Parida that if his shop number is odd and his vehicle number is even, how would he go to his shop? Parida suggested he opens his shop every second day, assuming he sold essential goods. When another user pointed out that shops in Chandigarh villages do not have numbers, Parida suggested he should “enjoy the confusion”.

Finally, Parida assured everyone that the decisions will be reconsidered before implementation, as was done on Sunday evening.