Delhi Hotels, Markets Allowed To Reopen, Gyms To Remain Closed For Now

Hotels and weekly markets in the capital will be allowed to open as authorities ease more restrictions to revive the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority or DDMA decided on Wednesday.

The proposal to open gyms was not approved in the meeting headed by Lt Governor Anil Baijal who leads the DDMA, Delhi government sources said.

The decisions were taken in a meeting which was also attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal through video conference.

Mr Baijal said gyms can be allowed to open in the coming days, news agency PTI reported.

The weekly markets will be first opened as a trial to assess the situation on the ground, sources said.

Hotels, weekly markets and gyms were closed in the city with the announcement of the lockdown in March in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier this month, a third proposal to lift restrictions from Delhi's hotels, gyms and weekly markets was sent to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal by the Arvind Kejriwal government a week after its two earlier proposals were turned down.

Mr Baijal has returned two proposals over the last weekend, contending that the coronavirus situation in the national capital was still too "fragile".

Pointing to the decreasing number of infections in the national capital, Mr Kejriwal had argued that the Delhi government "has the right to decide" about lifting restrictions in line with the guidelines of the central government.

Mr Kejriwal, known to be eager to restart economic activities since the second phase of the lockdown ended, also argued that coronavirus cases are increasing in many states in the country. But hotels, gyms and weekly markets are opening there despite the deteriorating situation. "So why are the people of Delhi being prevented from earning their livelihood?" he argued.

Delhi recorded 1,398 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, taking the tally in the city to over 1.56 lakh, while the number of deaths from the disease mounted to 4,235, authorities said.

(With inputs from PTI)