Unlock 1: Malls, restaurants, religious places in Delhi to stay shut

While senior officials in the Delhi government maintained that a review meeting is likely on June 7, following which a fresh order concerning malls, restaurants and places of religious worship may be issued, several prominent malls, restaurants and religious places in the city have their plans ready for resuming regular functioning after remaining shut or partially functioning for more than two months.

In its order charting out guidelines for further relaxations during the ongoing nationwide lockdown, the Delhi government Monday said shopping malls, places of religious worship and restaurants would remain closed for now, even though the guidelines issued by the Centre on Saturday provides room for states to allow these to open from June 8.

A worker cleans inside a restaurant in Connaught Place after lockdown restrictions were eased in New Delhi on June 1, 2020. (Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)

While senior officials in the Delhi government maintained that a review meeting is likely on June 7, following which a fresh order concerning malls, restaurants and places of religious worship may be issued, several prominent malls, restaurants and religious places in the city have their plans ready for resuming regular functioning after remaining shut or partially functioning for more than two months.

“Shopping malls, restaurants and places of religious worship see large gatherings and they are places with a high risk of disease transmission. It is good that the government did not prioritise them in their relaxation strategy. But shopping malls and restaurants also employ thousands of people. One has to be very careful about policies concerning such enterprises and institutes considering the spike in Covid-19 cases that Delhi is currently witnessing,” Jugal Kishore, head of community medicines department in Safdarjung Hospital, said.

Several religious places have worked out their own rules to ensure social distancing on the premises if and when gatherings are allowed.

Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, said, “The government must have taken the decision after careful consultation with experts. We respect the decision.” Close to 10,000 people offer Friday prayers at the Jama Masjid in Old Delhi during summer and the number goes up to 22,000 in winter. But post-Covid, Bukhari said the numbers are going to be much fewer.

Temples such as Jhandelwalan Mandir and Gauri Shankar temple in Chandni Chowk have worked out measures to control the crowd inside the complex. Jhandewalan temple authorities have decided to do away with the system of puja thalis and are doing a virtual aarti since the lockdown started. “We will continue with the online aarti even after the temple complex is allowed to open,” a member of the temple management committee said.

At Sacred Heart Cathedral, Savarimuthu Shankar, the spokesperson of Delhi Catholic Archdiocese, said a plan for social distancing inside the church will be prepared only when the Delhi government gives the go-ahead.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa, chairperson, Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee, said, “We are hopeful that gurdwaras will be allowed to be opened from June 8. We are yet to receive guidelines regarding the opening from the government. However, we have made our own rules for when the gurdwaras are opened.”

“We will increase the number of entry and exit points at gurdwara so that human interactions are kept to a minimum and to ensure crowd control. Hand sanitisers will be kept at a different points on the premises and central ACs will remain off. We are still unclear if devotees would be allowed to sit and pray,” Sirsa said.

MALLS AND RESTAURANTS

The major city shopping malls too are ready to reopen with a long list of self-regulations from requesting shoppers to download the Aarogya Setu app, to full personal protective equipment (PPE) kits for staff and special demarcated spaces for visitors.

“The shopping experience will be different from before, as safety and hygiene will be our top priority. Tweaks in design and markings will help visitors and retail outlets maintain the necessary social distancing of six feet, as per government norms. There will also be proper marking at counters and cash registers to stop crowding, fixing plexiglass shields at all checkout points are also being looked into,” a spokesperson of Select City Walk Mall, in south Delhi’s Saket, said.

The spokesperson said the public areas will be sanitised every 60 minutes. An isolation room has also been identified in case a Covid-19 positive visitor is found. Besides, various retail outlets are formulating guidelines on trials and return/exchange of products. Also, parking will be restricted and will be kept to 50% of the total capacity.”

Dinaz Madhukar, executive vice president, DLF, retail luxury and hospitality, said, “Masks, sanitizers, gloves, PPE kit and face shields will be stocked in every retail store. The number of visitors will be limited. We are also working on touch-less parking experience and encouraging digital payment. Valet service will not be available and there will be a strict protocol on the movement of cabs and personal drivers in the basement,” she said.

Praveen Khandelwal, secretary-general, Confederation of All India Traders, said, “Covid-19 cases are increasing every day so it is advisable that malls not be opened as maintaining social distancing would be a tough task. Malls have a central AC system and the virus spread is more quicker in such environments. However, restaurants should be allowed to open from June 8 with all necessary guidelines.”

Priyank Sukhija, member, National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), said, “So far, there is no clarity if restaurants with bars will be allowed to open or not. Also, if we are asked to shut by 9pm, it will not help all kinds of outlets. We are waiting for the association to come up with a set of guidelines based on which we will prepare for opening shop eventually.”