Markets, malls in Delhi can remain open beyond 8 pm from next week: Govt

Markets, malls, restaurants and bars in the city can stay open beyond 8 pm from next week, with the Delhi government on Saturday announcing lifting of restrictions in view of a decline in COVID-19 cases in the city.

"In view of the coronavirus situation, the markets were presently allowed to stay open till 8 pm. With the decline in COVID-19 cases, this time limit is being done away with from Monday. The markets can stay open according to their normal timing," Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.

A senior officer of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said along with the markets, restaurants and bars will also be allowed to open without any closing time restrictions.

The liquor stores in the city that were allowed to open till 8 pm will also be allowed to open till their normal closing timing of 10 pm, officials said.

Markets, restaurants and bars were closed with a surging second Covid wave in Delhi, from April 19. With improvement in the pandemic situation, markets, shopping complexes and malls were allowed to reopen between 10 am to 8 pm from June 14, by the DDMA.

The closing time of markets in different parts of the city are decided by the market associations concerned.

The restaurants and bars were allowed to reopen with 50 per cent seating capacity from June 21. However, a cap of 8 pm was imposed on their closing timings.

Under the phased reopening of the economy, restaurants were later allowed to open from 8 am to 10 pm, while bars were permitted to serve customers from 12 noon to 10 pm.

The restaurants and bars will now be allowed to remain open till their normal closing timing at 12 in the night. However, the restriction on 50 per cent seating capacity will continue, according to a DDMA order issued in Saturday.

The status of COVID-19 in NCT of Delhi has again been reviewed and it has been observed that though the overall number of COVID-19 patients and positivity rate has declined considerably and the overall situation has improved, due caution and care has to be continued, said the order.

"....adequate standards of Covid-appropriate behaviour continues to be followed and any such activity, that can lead to surge in cases, is allowed only after rigorous and due diligence," stated the order.

The mention of closing time restriction on markets and shops, restaurants and bars has been omitted in the DDMA order, meaning they are allowed to open till their usual closing times, said the DDMA officer.

The prohibited and restricted activities according to the DDMA order will remain in force from August 24 to 31, it said.

No death due to COVID-19 was recorded in Delhi on Saturday, the second consecutive day the daily fatality count stood nil, while 19 fresh cases were reported, the lowest since April 15 last year, according to data shared by the city health department.