Stadiums, sports complexes to reopen in Delhi from Monday without spectators

While the DDMA also allowed gyms, fitness centres and yoga centres to operate from last week, all swimming pools in the city still remain out of bounds for general people.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Sunday further scaled down restrictions, imposed since April due to an unprecedented surge in Covid-19 cases, by allowing stadiums and sports complexes in the city to open from Monday morning for general public’s use but without the presence of spectators.

This week’s order essentially brings no other change except for allowing general public to access stadiums and sports complexes in Delhi. (HT Photo/Representative use)

“Stadia/sports complexes will be permitted to open without spectators subject to strict compliance [of] SOP... as well as strict adherence to Covid-19 appropriate behaviour (viz. wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing, regular hand washing, use of sanitiser etc,.) to contain the spread of Covid-19 virus (disease),” said the order, a copy of which HT has seen.

Last month, the DDMA allowed state-level and national level athletes to access stadiums and sports complexes for their training. But, beyond that, they were closed to the general public.

While the DDMA also allowed gyms, fitness centres and yoga centres to operate from last week, all swimming pools in the city still remain out of bounds for general people.

This week’s order essentially brings no other change. Public transport in the form of buses and metro will continue to operate at 50% passenger capacity; weekly markets are allowed to operate on one market on one day, per municipal zone; restaurants to function with 50% dine-in capacity and banquet halls can organise marriages with maximum 50 guests.

Schools, colleges, educational institutes, coaching centres, cinema halls, theatres, multiplexes, spas, amusement parks, entertainment parks, water parks and business-to-business exhibition arenas remain closed.

Any kind of gathering and congregation -- which could be religious, cultural, political, social, academic or related to sports -- is prohibited, and auditoriums and assembly halls cannot open.

A full lockdown was implemented in Delhi on April 19 in the light of an unprecedented surge in Covid-19 cases which left the city’s health infrastructure overwhelmed. The government eventually started implementing relaxations in a phased manner starting May 31 after the number of infections came down substantially.

Dr Jacob John, former head of the clinical virology department at Christian Medical College in Vellore, said: “The government should be very meticulous about the phased relaxations. Hundred percent mask compliance should be mandatory not just on paper but [should be] enforced efficiently as more public spaces open up. The government should keep a close watch on Covid-19 trends and large gatherings of any kind should not be allowed at this stage.”