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Two Karol Bagh markets temporarily closed over violation of Covid norms
New Delhi: The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Friday ordered temporary closure of Gaffar Market and Naiwala Market in central Delhi’s Karol Bagh -- popular for car accessories and electronic gadgets -- for at least two days, citing violation of Covid-19 regulations
New Delhi: The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Friday ordered temporary closure of Gaffar Market and Naiwala Market in central Delhi’s Karol Bagh -- popular for car accessories and electronic gadgets -- for at least two days, citing violation of Covid-19 regulations.
“Shopkeepers, vendors, and the general public are not following Covid-appropriate behaviour. Due to large footfall, market associations and shopkeepers are not able to ensure Covid protocols over the last three days...which may cause super-spreading of the coronavirus,” said the temporary suspension order.
The restrictions will come into effect at 10 pm on Friday and shall remain in force till 10 pm on Sunday, or until further orders, the notice said. However, shops dealing with essential goods and services will be allowed to open.
In the last 10 days, the authorities have similarly cracked down on at least nine such popular markets in the city, including the Lajpat Nagar Central Market and Laxmi Nagar market.
Earlier in the day, at a meeting of the DDMA chaired by Delhi’s lieutenant governor Anil Baijal, which was also attended by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, senior officials raised concerns over overcrowding in the city’s markets.
“Grave concerns were expressed over the flouting of Covid appropriate behaviour and negligence. It was stressed that apart from enforcement efforts on the part of various agencies, the onus of ensuring and enforcing Covid-19 appropriate behaviour lay with stakeholder organisations like market welfare and resident welfare associations,” said an official who attended the meeting.
The district administration on Friday directed the North Delhi Municipal Corporation to sanitise markets in Karol Bagh and the surrounding areas, and requested the Delhi Police to ensure “strict compliance of the order”.
Currently, markets and malls in Delhi are allowed to operate between 10am and 8pm.
The market associations, traders and owners of shops are expected to ensure that customers follow Covid norms such as wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and avoiding spitting in the open. Delhi was under a complete lockdown from April 19 due to an unprecedented surge in Covid-19 cases. Scaling down of restrictions started in a phased manner from May 31 and markets were allowed to open from June 7.
