Delhi shops can open all days, restaurants allowed 50% guests in new relaxations

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said only one weekly market will be allowed to open in one municipal zone daily.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced further relaxations in the ongoing lockdown in the city, allowing shops located in markets to operate all days in a week, restaurants to operate with 50% sitting capacity and weekly markets on a zonal basis.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal announced additional set of relaxations in lockdown on Sunday.

“Last week, we had allowed shops in markets to operate in an odd-even basis, whereas standalones shops could operate all day. From this Monday, all shops will be allowed to operate all day. However, they have to operate between 10 am and 8 pm,” Kejriwal said in a video briefing.

It essentially means, all shops – including liquor shops – will now be open all day but for a shorter time window.

“Similarly, weekly markets will be allowed to operate but with restrictions – only one market in one municipal zone in a day,” said Kejriwal. Delhi has 12 municipal zones in total.

He also said restaurants can also open dine-in with 50% sitting capacity while strictly following social distancing and all Covid-19 appropriate protocols.

So far, restaurants were only allowed to offer take-in and home delivery services.

Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) later issued an order to say: "It is directed that all district magistrates, districts DCPs, deputy commissioners of municipal corporations... and all other authorities concerned shall be responsible for ensuring Covid-19 appropriate behaviour, which is wearing of masks, maintain[ance of] social distancing ... (and) no consumption of liquor, pan, gutkha, tobacco, etc in all shops, malls, market complexes, weekly markets, restaurants, mandis, ISBTs and railway station.

A senior official of the DDMA clarified, "Only restaurants are allowed to open with certain conditions this week. Bars are not allowed."

Kejriwal said, relaxations implemented last week will continue including operation of factories in industrial areas, construction activities, government offices with full attendance for officers above Grade-1 and half attendance below that, private offices with maximum 50% attendance between 9 pm and 5 pm, public buses and metro at 50% sitting capacity and all day operation of standalone business enterprises.

Taxis, autos and other paratransit vehicles too will be allowed with a cap on maximum number of passengers, weddings are allowed with a maximum presence of 20 guests either at courts or inside residential premises. Funerals can be attended by a maximum of 20 guests. Religious sites can open but they cannot entertain visitors. Home delivery of goods will be allowed too.

Schools, colleges, coaching centres and education institutes will continue to remain closed and the restriction on social, political, cultural, religious and academic gatherings will continue too. Centres of mass congregations such as swimming pools, gymnasiums, yoga centres, cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes; banquet halls; auditoriums and business to business exhibition arenas; entertainment parks, water parks and public parks will also remain closed, said the chief minister.

The lockdown in Delhi was imposed on April 19 in the light of a severe surge in Covid-19 cases which left the healthcare system overwhelmed. The city was under a hard lockdown – with only essential activities allowed – for six weeks before the first phase of relaxations were allowed last month.

“The Covid-19 situation in Delhi is under control now. We are now concerned largely about recovering the economy and preparing for a potential third wave. Yesterday, we launched 22 new oxygen plants. Day before yesterday, three oxygen storage plants were inaugurated. From Monday 5 am, more or less all economic activities will be allowed except a few. And few things will be allowed to function in a restricted fashion,” Kejriwal said, explaining the government’s thinking.

He added that the administration will “keenly” observe the Covid-19 trends after the latest relaxations remain in force for a week.

“If cases continue going further down, all restrictions can be scaled down in a phased manner in the coming days. However, if cases go up, we may have to impose restrictions again. I urge everyone to strictly adhere to regulations and Covid-19 appropriate behaviour,” Kejriwal added.

National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI), which has more than 5,000 members across the country welcomed the development. “The industry could not recover from the shock of the first lockdown by the time the second lockdown happened. The industry is in distress. We hope the coming days will witness economic recovery. ...But the government should also allow bars to open. Prohibiting bars, especially when liquor stores are open and dine-in is allowed, makes no sense,” said Manpreet Singh, a Delhi-based restaurateur and treasurer of the association.

Arbind Singh, national coordinator of the National Association of Street Vendors of India, said: “The government should have allowed them earlier with strict protocols. But better late than never. Weekly market vendors are in extreme distress. Many of them are migrants and they have been struggling for food and ration.”

Health experts however warn that Covid-19 containment protocols will have to be observed in letter and spirit if the relaxations are not to backfire.

“The government should be very meticulous about the phased relaxations. 100% mask compliance should be... not just on paper but enforced efficiently as more public spaces open up. For markets and offices, the government should draft a policy of staggered timings to ensure that the crowd is under control. The government should keep a close watch on covid-19 trends and take its time in lifting restrictions from close spaces such as gyms, cinema halls, etc. Also, gatherings of any kind should not be allowed at this stage,” said Dr Jacob John, former head of the clinical virology department at Christian Medical College in Vellore.