Amid the rising worry of the possible third wave of COVID-19 and its Delta Plus variant, the East District administration in Delhi has ordered to shut down the Laxmi Nagar main market and surrounding markets till July 5 due to people not adhering to coronavirus-appropriate behaviour. However, shops selling essential goods are exempted from the closure.
The markets will be closed from 10 pm on June 29 till 10 pm on July 5 or till further orders, reported The Times of India citing an order issued by East district magistrate Sonika Singh and Delhi Disaster Management Authority chairperson on June 29.
Delhi | Laxmi Nagar main market and surrounding markets like Mangal Bazaar, Vijay Chowk, Subhash Chowk, Jagatram Park, Guru Ramdas Nagar shut till 10pm of 5th July for not following COVID19 appropriate behaviour: District Magistrate, East Delhi— ANI (@ANI) June 30, 2021
The “stretch from Vikas Marg to Lovely Public School, Kishan Kunj and its surrounding markets like Mangal Bazaar, Vijay Chowk, Subhash Chowk, Jagatram Park, Guru Ramdas Nagar, etc would be restricted to open from 10 pm on June 29 till 10 pm on July 5 or till further orders,” said the order.
These shut down restrictions are not applicable on shops dealing with essential goods and services, said the report.
The order further stated that “According to the Preet Vihar SDM’s report, shopkeepers, vendors and the general public in Laxmi Nagar main bazaar were not following COVID-appropriate behaviour. Due to large footfall, the market association and shopkeepers were unable to ensure COVID-19 protocols last Sunday.”
The DCP (East) has been asked to follow the order strictly and East Delhi Municipal Corporation will get sanitisation done in the area, said the report.
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Meanwhile, traders claimed that they had no information about the issue of increasing congestion.
The national capital recorded 101 fresh COVID-19 cases and four more deaths on June 29, according to a health department bulletin. With the fresh cases, Delhi's COVID-19 caseload has increased to 14,34,094. The death toll stands at 24,971, it said. The positivity rate increased slightly to 0.15 percent from 0.10 percent on June 28, the bulletin stated.
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