Delhi Covid curbs: Cinemas, gyms shut; malls to stay open on odd-even basis

Amid an increase in COVID-19 cases, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority on Tuesday ordered the closure of schools, colleges, cinemas and gyms with immediate effect and imposed various restrictions on the functioning of shops and public transport when a yellow warning sounded under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

The 'yellow' warning restrictions stipulate that shops and establishments of non-essential goods and services and shopping centers will open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the odd-even formula.

The timing of the curfew, which was imposed from Monday evening, has also been extended by an hour and now starts at 10 p.m. The curfew of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. will remain in effect until further orders, the DDMA's order said.

20 people will be allowed to attend weddings and funerals, while all other types of gatherings related to social, political, cultural, religious and festival events will be banned.

Also, the Delhi Metro will operate at 50 percent of its capacity, while auto rickshaws and taxis can carry up to two passengers. Buses will also run at 50 percent of capacity with exempt passengers, the GRAP says.

After a high-level meeting to discuss the pandemic situation in the national capital, Prime Minister Arvind Kejriwal said earlier in the day that a decision had been made to issue a 'yellow' warning in view of rapidly increasing cases of infections.

Delhi registered 331 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, the highest single-day increase since June 9 and one death, while the positivity rate rose to 0.68 percent, according to data shared by the city's health department. The positivity rate was 0.55 percent on Sunday.

The 'yellow' warning restrictions state that only one weekly market may be opened per zone with 50 percent sellers.

Restaurants will be allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., while bars will also be allowed to operate at the same capacity, but from noon to 10 p.m.

The color-coded GRAP is based on the positivity rate (on two consecutive days), the cumulative number of new cases (over a week), and the average oxygen bed occupancy (over a week) indicates four alert levels.

Further restrictions are imposed in advanced stages of 'orange', 'orange' and 'red' warnings with higher number of new cases and hospitalizations.