No seating cap in Delhi cinema halls from today; 200 guests allowed at weddings

As per the official order, owners of cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes will be responsible for strict adherence to official guidelines and Covid-appropriate behaviour at the premises.

Cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes in Delhi will be allowed to reopen with 100 per cent seating capacity starting Monday, according to the order by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). The revised guidelines also raised the number of people allowed to attend weddings and last rites from 100 to 200, as the coronavirus pandemic is now subsiding in the city.

Movie theatres and multiplexes were closed in April after the Covid-19 cases saw an exponential rise in the daily number of infections. (HT Photo)

Movie theatres and multiplexes were closed in April after the Covid-19 cases saw an exponential rise in the daily number of infections, with the overall nationwide second wave. The Aam Aadmi Party-led city government allowed them to reopen with 50 per cent seating capacity in the last week of July, when Covid-19 cases started falling steadily.

During the surge, attendance at funerals was also scaled down to 20 while 50 guests were allowed in wedding ceremonies. This was raised to 100 people in both types of gatherings in September.

As per the official order, owners of cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes will be responsible for strict adherence to official guidelines and Covid-appropriate behaviour at the premises. "In case any violation is found, strict penal, criminal action shall be taken against the owner of the restaurant, bar, cinemas, theatres and multiplexes," the DDMA stated in the order.

The DDMA also allowed meetings and conferences in banquet halls of the city. Until now, only weddings and exhibitions were permitted there.

Meanwhile, all social, political, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious gatherings are still prohibited in the city. Restaurants and bars will continue to function at 50 per cent seating capacity.

Delhi Metro and public transport buses will also continue to ply with full seating capacity but no standing passengers will be allowed, as per the order.

More than 90 per cent of Delhi’s population likely has some form of protection from Sars-Cov-2, the preliminary findings of the sixth and the latest serological survey in Delhi have suggested. Samples from 28,000 people were tested to see if they had antibodies to the virus, which causes Covid-19, and over 90 per cent of them turned up positive, the findings show.