Nizamuddin unsealed after 70 days, but stays shut

Even though the Basti has been de-sealed, the Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, which attracts visitors from all faiths and is located a stone’s throw away, has decided to remain shut at least till June 13, as a precautionary measure given that the number of Covid-19 cases is on the rise.

The once-bustling lanes of Nizamuddin Basti lay deserted on Wednesday. The stringent restrictions in the area — that was a containment zone for 70 days, after at least 1,080 people of the Tablighi Jamaat tested positive between March and April this year — were eased three days ago.

A man speaking on a mobile phone at a shop in Nizamuddin, New Delhi on Wednesday. (Biplov Bhuyan/HT PHOTO)

The fear of the virus continued to loom large in the shadows

The Markaz building, the headquarters of the Tablighi Jamaat from where close to 2,000 participants were evacuated, remains closed. Some civil defence volunteers were still deployed around the area.

A majority of shops and eateries in the area remained shut in the area, with very little movement of people, as the area continued to be under ‘strict vigil’ of the district administration.

Residents of the area, who had been demanding the opening up of the area for long, said that there was a sense of relief among them.One carriageway on Mathura Road leading to the Basti continues to remain barricaded.

Even though the Basti has been de-sealed, the Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, which attracts visitors from all faiths and is located a stone’s throw away, has decided to remain shut at least till June 13, as a precautionary measure given that the number of Covid-19 cases is on the rise.

So far 32,810 cases have been reported from Delhi, as per the health bulletin released by the government on Wednesday, of which 19,581 are active . On April 16, Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain had said that at least 1,080 Covid positive cases were linked to the Tablighi Jamaat (Markaz ) event. Delhi so far has also witnessed 984 deaths (as per the health bulletin) due to the virus.

In Nizamuddin, most of the flower and chadar shops (offerings bought by devotees to the dargah) have also remained closed. The market houses a number of eateries, books, perfume and flower shops. For a number of Basti residents, their livelihoods depend on income from these shops.

The Basti, which houses at least 25,000 people, was a containment zone for more than two months after the area was declared a Covid-19 hotspot and sealed on March 30. On June 7, the south-east district authorities decided to scale down the restrictions, after no new cases were reported from the area. However, as per the relaxation order, a team of district administration officials, along with local police, were to maintain strict vigil for the next 14 days.

Mohammad Saleem, owner of a small biryani outlet in the area, said that many who had rented shops have run out of their businesses. “We struggled to run our houses during the lockdown. Now that the area has been de-sealed, we hoped that people will start visiting again. But even now, shops are not being allowed to open. People have put measures in place but some of the outlets are too small to maintain social distancing. Many of those running eateries out of rented spaces had to shut down, as they couldn’t pay the rent,” he said.

Many locals also said that though Urs — commemorating the death anniversary of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, a 14th century Sufi saint — is observed from June 9-13, when a number of people from all faiths gather at the dargah, this year the management committee has decided not to organise any celebrations.

“All the entry-exits of the dargah complex have been closed and we have announced that people must pray at home. We will take a decision on whether to open the dargah or not after June 13. The situation is not getting any better and controlling the crowd will be challenging. We do not want another controversy ” said Altamash Nizami, member, Dargah management committee.

Residents said that they are not just running out of jobs and savings, but are also faced with the stigma of belonging to a Covid-19 hotspot. “Even though there were no fresh cases reported from the Basti after March, the whole area was contained. Most people depended on NGOs for food and other essential supplies, as the arrangements made by the government were inadequate. The bazaar near the Markaz is still not allowed to be open. Even those who have started going out for work are looked down upon with suspicion,” said Abdur Rahman, a resident, who leads of group of volunteers from the area.

Moinuddin Ahmed, a resident and social worker, said that even as the area was sealed, there were many people — employed at the shops and eateries — who started out on foot for their homes states. “During the night when there was less deployment of police, a number of daily wagers started walking for their homes, as they were uncertain for how long the area would remain locked. These have been the toughest few months for people living here,” he said.

According to a senior police officer, who did not wish to be named, the barricading has been done as per a decision taken by the district administration for heightened vigil. “The shops can open. We haven’t stopped anyone from doing so. Only eateries, which do not have adequate precautionary measures in place, will not be allowed to open,” the official said.

Yasmin Kidwai, the local councillor, said that despite de-sealing, there was a lack of clarity on the issue because of involvement of different agencies. There have been requests from people to allow reopening of shops. “I met the district magistrate in this regard. We had a positive meeting and we hope the issue will be resolved soon.”

The sitting MLA from the area Praveen Kumar, too said that people were hassled because of not being able to resume their businesses. “We have requested the district magistrate to allow removal of barricading and reopening of shops after disinfecting the area.”