Markets, public transport may be allowed partly in Delhi post May 17

Speaking to IANS, an official from the Delhi government said that while the nod from the Central government is yet to come, the city government is working out plans to allow the relaxation, as and when approved from the Union government.

"We are totally ready to run the public transport, if the Centre allows it. We have also discussed the set of SOPs to be followed in the buses and Metro. We have also demanded from the Centre to allow autos and taxis for the last mile connectivity. For the public transport, social distancing, contactless ticketing and disinfection will be the three pillars of the strategy," the official told IANS.

The official said just like the odd-even scheme was "successful" in Delhi mandis during the lockdown, the markets, malls and other shopping complexes will also be allowed to open on that basis.

"The shops with even numbers will operate on even dates while those with odd numbers will operate on odd dates. This will help in ensuring that no crowd gathers at shopping complexes. For the malls, only limited shops will be allowed."

The Delhi government on Thursday submitted a proposal to the Centre on the relaxations it wants to implement in lockdown 4.0 after May 17.

As per the public demand, the government has also urged the Centre to remove curfew between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. -- barring the non-essential movement of the people.

"While we are ready to open up the markets and public transport, social distancing and masks will be a must for all those stepping out."

Also, the Delhi government has urged the Centre to only bar the movement and activities in the containment zone and not the entire district. All the 11 districts in the national capital were marked as red zones by the Centre in lockdown 3.0.

The official also said that the government is not ready to allow schools, colleges or other educational institutes and also barber shops and cinema halls to open.

The official said the city government has also suggested a complete resumption of industries and arrangements for employing labourers living in nearby areas in Delhi.

"The government has also suggested keeping the educational institutes shut and also bar the opening of cinema halls."