New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggesting that private offices should be allowed to open at 50 per cent capacity, metro services should resume for government employees and those with e-passes, market complexes should open on odd-even basis and partial public transport services should resume in the national capital after May 17.
Kejriwal wrote to the Prime Minister giving detailed suggestions on the relaxations for Delhi as it deals with the situation created coronavirus crisis.
The Prime Minister had sought suggestions from chief ministers on relaxations they want in the fourth phase of lockdown after May 17 when the third phase will end. The nationwide lockdowns have been enforced to contain the spread of coronavirus. In his address to the nation, the Prime Minister had said that lockdown 4.0 will be different.
Sources said the Chief Minister wrote that there should not be any relaxation in containment zones but economic activities should be resume in other parts.
He said this may lead to some increase in COVID-19 cases but the Delhi government has made appropriate arrangements to deal with it in terms of ramping up medical infrastructure.
The Chief Minister recommended that all shopping malls should open with the condition that only 33 per cent shops would open on a single day and the management of the mall would be responsible to enforce this stipulation.
Kejriwal suggested that partial public transport should be resumed with certain conditions.
He recommended that autorickshaws/e-rickshaws/cycle-rickshaws should be permitted with the stipulation that they shall carry only one passenger.
Taxi/Cabs (including cab aggregators) should be permitted with the condition that apart from the driver, only two passengers are allowed, the letter said.
The Chief Minister suggested that movement of individuals, for all non-essential activities, should remain strictly prohibited between 9 pm to 5 am.
Kejriwal suggested that construction activities should be permitted wherever the workers are available on-site or could be transported to the site from within the NCT of Delhi except containment zones.
He said that buses should be permitted with the condition that not more than 20 passengers shall be allowed at one time. Further, it should be mandatory to have two marshals inside each bus at all times for maintaining social distancing.
The letter recommended that metro services should be permitted only for employees of central government, Delhi government, central and state PSUs, local bodies and government autonomous bodies on the production of their government identity card issued by the competent authority from 7:30 am to 10:30 am and 5:30 pm to 20:30.
It recommended that metro services should be allowed for people providing essential services and having e-pass from district magistrate/deputy commissioner of police from 10.30 am to 5.30 am.
The Chief Minister said that the government shall review implementation after one week and widen its scope accordingly.
Kejriwal suggested that all schools, colleges, educational, training, coaching institutions etc, hospitality services, other than those used for housing, health, police, government officials, healthcare workers, stranded persons including tourists and those used for quarantine facilities should remain close.
The letter said that barber shops, spas, salons, cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls, social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious gatherings should not be permitted.
In all zones, persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below, the age of 10 years shall stay at home, except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes, he said.
He said movement of individuals and vehicles should be allowed and four-wheelers should have maximum two passengers besides the vehicle driver. For two-wheelers, pillion rider should not be allowed.
The letter said all private offices, irrespective of their location, can operate with up to 50 per cent strength as per requirement, with the remaining persons working from home.
The Delhi CM suggested making use of Aarogya Setu app mandatory for all workplaces.
Kejriwal suggested all market and market complexes shall remain open on odd-even basis – Shops would open on alternate days depending on their shop number. It implies that only 50 per cent of the shops (excluding those selling essential goods) shall be opened, he said.
However, shops selling essential goods including books and stationery shops, fan shops in markets and market complexes, should be permitted to open on all days, the letter said, adding that market associations & DDMA ( district-level) would be responsible to ensure this stipulation.
The Chief Minister recommended that all shopping malls should open with the condition that only 33 per cent shops would open on a single day and the management of the mall would be responsible to enforce this stipulation.
He suggested that all stand-alone (single) shops, neighbourhood (colony) shops and shops in residential complexes should be permitted to remain open without any distinction between essential and non-essential. (ANI)
