Delhi’s Tilak Nagar market shut down over Covid-19 protocol violations

DDMA has also ordered the revenue department to survey the market area for encroachment by permanent shop owners as well as unauthorised street vendors

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has directed that the market in West Delhi’s Tilak Nagar be temporarily closed from Friday till at least Tuesday due to alleged violation of Covid-19 regulations.

Representational image. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

It has also ordered the revenue department to survey the market area for encroachment by permanent shop owners as well as unauthorised street vendors, said an order issued by the DDMA on Thursday night, a copy of which HT has seen.

In the last three weeks, at least 20 markets in the city have faced similar crackdowns. They include large parts of Sadar Bazar, Laxmi Nagar market, Lajpat Nagar Central Market, Gaffar Market in Karol Bagh and several local markets in areas such as Madangir, Rohini and Nangloi.

A lockdown was announced in Delhi from April 19, imposed due to an unprecedented surge in Covid-19 cases, which left the city’s healthcare system overburdened. As cases started to decline, DDMA started a phased relaxation process from May 31 and allowed markets to open from mid-June, subject to strict Covid-19 regulations concerning social distancing, mask compliance, etc.

“Amid a possibility of a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and considering gross violation of health protocols under Covid-19-appropriate behaviour in the market.... I do hereby order closure / shutting of Tilak Nagar market, comprising of Mall Road, Main Market, Mangal Bazar Road, Old Market and Fruit Market area with effect from July 23 to July 27,” said the order signed by the sub-divisional magistrate concerned.

DDMA, in its order, cited inputs from enforcement teams and senior revenue department officers visiting the market who noticed violations of Covid-19 norms on at least four occasions on July 7, 10, 17 and 22.

Kapil Gandhi, president of New Market Welfare Association Tilak Nagar, said: “There are encroachment issues in the market. We need better coordination from the authorities instead of such crackdowns.”

“In the last few weeks, several markets have faced such temporary suspension orders. It is unfair to put the entire burden of Covid-19 regulations on market welfare bodies. Local agencies and authorities too have responsibilities in this regard. We will meet the chief secretary soon to discuss the issue,” said Brijesh Goyal, president of chamber of trade and industry, a collective of market and trader welfare bodies based in Delhi.