Delhi unlock: 'Economic activity must go on with precautions,' says Police Commissioner

By Ravi Jalhotra
New Delhi [India], June 7 : As the markets and offices reopened in the national capital, Delhi Police Commissioner SN Srivastava on Monday said economic activity must go on with precautions and full safety measures.
Speaking to ANI, Srivastava said, "The COVID cases reduced but not ended. Economic activity must go on with precautions and full safety measures. The situation which was created 20-25 days ago should not happen again. Everyone should be careful. People must wear a mask and keep social distancing. There is a challan of Rs 2,000 for not wearing a mask. We do not have the purpose to issue challans. Our aim is to keep the people of Delhi healthy and safe."
Earlier on Monday, Delhi Police Commissioner SN Srivastava took stock of the markets in Delhi including the Chandni Chowk. He informed that the shopkeepers and market welfare organisations were also given responsibilities to follow the COVID guidelines. Barricades have been removed from the road so that there is no problem with traffic.
Delhi Police Commissioner said when the national capital was facing a grim situation there were some people who went beyond humanitarian ethics and did black marketing of medicines and oxygen. Delhi Police has launched a technical and systematic investigation against such people.
"While most people are helping others, some are taking advantage of others' plight via financial fraud and black marketing. Criminal cases registered against black marketeers and technical investigations were done to nab those accused of fraud," Srivastava said.
He informed that due to COVID, jails too took preventive measures and released under trial prisoners for time being.
"Our teams have been working in a systematic manner for the past few days to develop a plan to tackle the street crime as unlocking process begins from today," he added.
As per the official circular by the Delhi government, shops in malls, markets, market complexes, standalone shops and neighbourhood shops will open with the restrictions of even-odd and timings from Monday.
However, cinemas and theatres, restaurants (except home delivery/take away), bars, gyms, spas, barber shops, saloons, beauty parlours and any shop pertaining to entertainment/ amusement services have not been permitted to operate.
Private offices will also be allowed to function with 50 per cent staff.
"In government offices, Group A staff will be allowed to function with 100 per cent capacity while group B with 50 per cent staff," the Chief Minister had said.
As per the circular, since liquor shops are not in the prohibited list in the original curfew order dated April 19, 2021, therefore, it will be allowed on an even-odd basis and within prescribed timings.
The revenue services in a district, like registry will be functional. Self-employed persons such as electricians, plumbers and repairing of water purifiers are already allowed vide DDMA order dated April 25, 2021. The government had said that a decision will be taken soon regarding the opening up of gyms, spas, salons in the city.
The Delhi government imposed a lockdown in the national capital on April 19 at the peak of the second wave of COVID-19. The lockdown was extended a few times since then. After a continuous decline in daily coronavirus cases for several days, the Chief Minister announced that the national capital will begin to unlock from May 31 in a phased manner.