After Azadpur mandi, Okhla market too to stay open 24x7 from May 4

The agricultural produce market in south-east Delhi’s Okhla will open all hours of the day throughout the week from May 4, as the lockdown extension comes into force,

The agricultural produce market in south-east Delhi’s Okhla will open all hours of the day throughout the week from May 4, as the lockdown extension comes into force, senior government officials said Sunday.

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“The decision was taken so that the supply chain of fruits and vegetables in the city is not disrupted, and retain prices do not increase at any cost. The market was sanitised today (Sunday) for round-the-clock operations. The government will deploy sanitation workers and an adequate number of civil defence volunteers to ensure social distancing,” a senior government official said.

The Okhla wholesale market largely caters to retail the populace of south and south-east Delhi.

Previously, when the lockdown was extended till May 3, the Delhi government had made the Azadpur market operational round the clock. However, traders in Azadpur raised concerns after 15 of them tested Covid-19 positive and one of them died in April. More than 100 persons have so far been quarantined following contact tracing.

At the Okhla market, 500 individuals — from traders to accountants and labourers — were screened and at least 25 of them, who exhibited symptoms, were tested. Their reports are awaited, said Adil Khan, chairperson of the agriculture produce market committee (APMC).

Azadpur is Delhi’s lifeline for fruits and vegetables. It receives supplies from around 3,300 trucks every day, on an average, and accounts for 80% of the total supply in the city. The markers at Ghazipur and Okhla, which receive supplies from around 350 trucks and 200 trucks per day, respectively, said officials of the APMC.

Government officials said that they are yet to take a call on the round-the-clock operation of Ghazipur market, which was in the news last week due to violation of lockdown norms by a crowd.