Despite The Highest Single Day Spike In COVID-19 Cases, Delhi Opens Up. Here Is What Is Allowed

As the nation entered the third extension of the lockdown on Monday, several places across the country have seen an easing of some of the restrictions, based on which zone they fall under.

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In the green zone which does not have any recorded COVID-19 cases or active cases in the past 21 days, life is almost back to normal. In the next category, the orange zone too there are considerable relaxations, but curbs continue to be in place in red zones also known as hotspots.

BCCL

As far as the national capital is concerned, all 11 districts in the city have been declared as red zones.

But on Sunday Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the time has come to re-open Delhi and people will have to be ready to live with the novel coronavirus. Kejriwal said the Delhi government will suggest to the Centre that only containment areas in the city be declared as red zones and not the entire district.

AP

The total number of containment zones in Delhi now stands at 97.

The chief minister said Coronavirus is going nowhere and it is impossible that cases of coronavirus will be zero.

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"It is impossible that there will be no cases of coronavirus because it has not happened across the world. We will have to be ready to live with coronavirus. We will have to get used to it," he said.

Delhi has been under lockdown since March 23.

"Time has come to re-open Delhi,¡± he added.

BCCL

From Monday, there will be some relaxations to the lockdown in Delhi.

Government and private offices will open from Monday.

The suspension of travel by flight, metro and bus will continue.

Even suspension inter-city bus service will continue.

Delivery of essential goods through e-commerce portals will continue.

Delhi government offices engaged in essential services will function with full strength while offices of non-essential services and private offices can operate with 33 per cent strength.

Malls, cinemas, salons, market complexes and Delhi Metro will remain shut

Shops selling essentials will continue to be open.

50 people will be allowed in the marriage function.

Non-essential standalone shops are set to open from Monday.

Shops in containment zones will, however, remain closed.

Movement of people from 7 pm to 7 am will not be allowed.

Delhi government will also take strict action against those who spit in public.

BCCL

Kejriwal also announced a number of relief measures that will come into force from Monday but said the lockdown will continue for another two weeks.

Highlighting the adverse impact of coronavirus on the exchequer, Kejriwal said in April 2019, the government earned Rs 3,500 crore while in April this year, it only received Rs 300 crore.

Incidentally, the announcement came on the same day Delhi recorded its highest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases with 427 new infections on Sunday. According to the health bulletin, the total number of cases in Delhi now stands at 4,549.