Worst-hit Mumbai and Delhi start to unlock
Delhi shops in markets, malls to open on an odd-even basis
With the Covid-19 situation gradually coming under control and daily positivity rate falling below five per cent, Delhi and Mumbai are all set to open gradually from Monday.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Saturday that markets will re-open and Metro services will resume from Monday, June 7, with conditions.
“Lockdown will continue with more relaxation in other activities. Shops in markets and malls to be opened on an odd-even basis from Monday. The standalone shops, however, will be allowed to open daily from 10 am to 8 pm. Home delivery through ecommerce platforms has also been okayed. Private offices will be allowed to function with 50 per cent staff,” Mr Kejriwal said.
“In government offices, Group A staff will be allowed to function with 100 per cent capacity while Group B with 50 per cent staff,” Mr Kejriwal said.
Essential items shops and chemists will remain open on all days. But restaurants, theatres, gymnasiums, swimming pools, water parks, salons, educational and coaching institutes, cinema halls, weekly markets will remain shut.
Domestic traders body CAIT on Saturday welcomed the Delhi government’s decision to allow markets to open from Monday but opposed the odd-even formula, claiming that it does not suit the business character of the city.
“The odd-even formula is never suited for the business character of Delhi because being the largest distribution centre of the country, Delhi has a totally different business format where one trader is dependent upon the other for procurement of goods and in many cases, both these format of trade will adopt different day for opening the shops due to the odd-even formula,” said Praveen Khandelwal, secretary general, Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).
“It would have been better if the Delhi government would have adopted staggered timings between different markets of Delhi,” he suggested. In its earlier letter to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Kejriwal, the CAIT had suggested staggered timings for the wholesale markets - 10 am to 4 pm and 12 pm to 7 pm for retail markets.
Maharashtra too announced a five-phased unlock plan under which cities and districts having positivity rate less than 5 per cent and oxygen beds occupancy less than 25 per cent - categorised as Level 1 - will see lifting of restrictions. Here all restaurants, malls, salons, movie theatres, shops can open.
Under Level 2, districts having less than 5 per cent positivity and oxygen beds occupancy of 25-40 per cent, can reopen shops but malls, restaurants, gymnasiums, salons etc will get partial relaxations.
Level 3 are districts with 5-10 per cent positivity rate and 40-60 per cent oxygen bed occupancy.
In Mumbai, which falls under Level 3, film shoots have been allowed and buses can operate at full capacity but with only sitting passengers.
Mumbai local trains, that remain overcrowded during peak hours, will be out of bounds for local passengers and only essential workers are permitted to use these trains.
In Maharashtra, districts having 10-20 per cent positivity rate more than 60 per cent occupancy rate will be under Level 4 and here no movement of people will be allowed on weekends and after 5 pm on weekdays. Level 5 will consist of districts with a positivity rate over 20 per cent and oxygen bed occupancy over 75 per cent. Here no movement of people will be allowed.
India on Saturday recorded lowest daily cases in nearly two months with 1.21 lakh cases in the last 24 hours.
The deaths - 3,380 – however, still remain high. Country’s weekly positivity rate is currently at 6.89 per cent while the daily positivity rate was 5.78 per cent on Saturday. It has remained less than 10 per cent for 12 consecutive days now.
Delhi on Saturday had a positivity rate of 0.53 per cent with 414 fresh cases, and 60 deaths. Its hospital beds and patients dependent on oxygen have reduced drastically. However, Mr Kejriwal has set up a task force to prepare for a possible third wave.