Gym owners unhappy due to COVID-19 shutdown in Delhi

By Aashique Hussain
New Delhi [India], April 16 : Following the latest COVID-19 curbs announced by the Delhi government forcing gyms to remain shut until further orders, gym owners are asking for a fresh set of guidelines that allow them to work.
JK Fitness gym owner Jatin Kumar told ANI, "Last year, the government asked us to close the gym. This year due to the coronavirus pandemic, not many clients are there and we are not able to pay the rent as well. "
The owner cum gym trainer said that since the pandemic commenced, they have been abiding by the coronavirus guidelines and have regularly sanitised the gym." We even divided our customers into batches to properly follow social distancing," he said.
Kumar demands," What we want is that government should allow us to function with separate guidelines."
With the government shutting malls, gymnasiums, spas, and auditoriums and a further reduction in the capacity of cinema halls from 50 per cent to 30 per cent, owners of these establishments said they have been dealt a major blow even before they had a chance to recover from the distress of the nationwide lockdown announced last year.
According to the fresh curbs announced by the Delhi government, malls, gyms, spas, and auditoriums will be asked to remain shut until further orders amid the unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases.
"These restrictions are for your sake, for you and your families. It will be inconvenient but these restrictions are necessary to break the chain of transmission," Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in a video address on Thursday afternoon.
"Don't panic. All essential services will be available through the weekend," he added.
Delhi reported its biggest single-day spike of 19,486 fresh coronavirus infections and 141 related deaths, as per the state health bulletin of the Delhi government issued on Friday evening.