Gurugram malls to shut till March 31

The district administration on Wednesday issued an order, directing all shopping malls and weekly bazaars in the city to shut till March 31, after the city reported

The district administration on Wednesday issued an order, directing all shopping malls and weekly bazaars in the city to shut till March 31, after the city reported two Covid-19 positive cases in the last 72 hours.

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Pharmacies, medical establishments, grocery stores and supermarkets within mall premises will remain open, according to the order issued by Amit Khatri, the deputy commissioner of Gurugram. The provisions for the same have been made under the Haryana Epidemic Disease, Covid19 Regulations, 2020.

Gymnasiums, swimming pools, spas, nightclubs, cinema halls and multiplexes in the city are already closed. “As a precautionary measure and ensuring the safety of citizens, we have decided to shut down the malls and weekly bazaars,” said Khatri.

There are about 30 malls in the city. Aman Bajaj, member, MGF Metropolitan Mall Association, said on Wednesday, “We have received the order from the district administration. It, however, states that the order has to be implemented with immediate effect, which is not possible. Immediate evacuation of people from malls would lead to unnecessary panic. It can only be implemented from tomorrow onwards.”

The administration has also restricted the public gatherings to 50 people, as a preventive measure to restrict the community transmission of the novel coronavirus. “In other districts of the state, the maximum gathering could be of 200 people. Considering Gurugram’s situation, the gathering has been reduced to 50 people as a preventive measure,” said Rajeev Arora, state’s additional chief secretary, who was in the city on Wednesday to hold a meeting with the district officials.

The ban on the congregation of people includes weddings, family gatherings and all social, religious, cultural, political, academic and sporting events, said officials. Also, all seminars and conferences will have to impose the restriction. On March 15, the state health department had issued a directive, restricting the gathering to 200 people.

The police said that anyone found violating the directions will be booked and criminal proceedings initiated under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code as well as culpable epidemic diseases. The violator shall be punished with imprisonment of up to six months, or with fine which may extend to ₹1,000, or with both, said officials.

As per the order, salons, beauty parlours and grooming centres will have to decontaminate their premises frequently and make available hand sanitisers at the entry gate. Also, private cab operators have been directed to sanitise their vehicles frequently too. They have been ordered to carry sanitisers as well.