Battle against COVID-19: Delhi govt lifts time restrictions on markets

The chief minister informed that the curbs will be removed from Monday.

"Markets of Delhi were allowed to function till 8 pm due to Covid-19. In wake of decreasing cases, this restriction will be removed starting Monday. Now the markets can open as per their normal time," his tweet stated.

The decision has been taken in the wake of the falling trajectory of Covid-19 cases reported in Delhi for the last few weeks.

According to the data from the Delhi government's health department, the daily infections are settled below a hundred while the mortality has come down to zero on several days. The fall in cases projects an improving situation of the coronavirus in the national capital.

No death due to Covid-19 was recorded in Delhi on Saturday even as 19 fresh cases were reported in the last 24 hours. Forty-eight people recovered in the same duration and the positivity rate now stands at 0.03 per cent, according to the health department's data.

The markets were closed in the city following a lockdown imposed on April 19 till May 39 after the national capital witnessed an unprecedented surge in cases amid the second wave of Covid-19 disease.

Markets were allowed to open from June 7 under a phased reopening plan by the city government. The city government had allowed one weekly market in each municipal zone to open with proper adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour and official guidelines.

A few days ago, the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) had demanded to extend closing time of malls and markets in the Delhi from the present 8 pm to 10 pm.

The traders body had written to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), stating that the deadline to operate till 8 pm is proving to be insufficient for most of the retail markets, especially during the festive season.