Containment curbs eased in Delhi’s Nizamuddin Basti after 70 days

After almost 70 days, residents of Nizamuddin Basti could step out their locality, as the Delhi government on Sunday scaled down the containment measures.

The Basti was declared a containment zone on March 30, days after close to 2,000 people were evacuated from the Tablighi Jamaat headquarters.

According to Delhi government officials, the area continued to be a containment zone for this long as a middle-aged woman tested positive on May 5.

As per Delhi government officials, no case has been reported in the last 28 days and they decided to de-seal the area.

Mohd Yamin, secretary of the Hazarat Nizamuddin Council, said, “We are thankful to the government for listening to us and de-sealing the area. With mosques being allowed to open from Monday, we are happy that now we can go and offer prayers.”

DEFENCE COLONY

But just a few kilometres away, a lane comprising 11 houses in Defence Colony was declared a containment zone on Sunday. Many residents in the area questioned the decision to declare such a small area a containment zone.

According to a senior Delhi police official aware of the development, “There are 7-8 cases reported from the lane. There are two houses where there is more number of cases.”

The area was declared a containment zone after Covid-19 cases were reported from households in C block. As per the order passed by Harleen Kaur, district magistrate of South East Delhi, public movement in the lane has been restricted.

Col (retd) Ranjit Singh, the president of the Defence Colony RWA, said, “There are about 14 people in these three homes, of which two are in hospital and rest are quarantined at home. Several sanitisation measures are being taken in the area.”

Kum Kum Malhotra, a resident of C-block, said she is in home-quarantine after her sister tested positive on May 29. Her sister was admitted to a hospital in Gurugram on May 30. “I don’t know why this area has been declared a containment zone. We have been in home quarantine ever since my sister tested positive. She has almost recovered and will be home soon. I hope they scale down the measures soon,” Malhotra said.

Malhotra said her sister must have got the infection from their driver, who is in home quarantine after he tested positive. “There are seven members in our family. While my sister tested positive, the rest have all tested negative for Covid-19,” she said.