Delhi is under lockdown since April 19 which is scheduled to be lifted in the morning of May 10 (File)
A day after Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal directed officials to conduct a survey of the COVID super-spreader spots in the national capital, teams were deployed in several districts to list the crowded areas, officials said on Wednesday.
In view of a rapid surge in coronavirus cases in Delhi, Mr Baijal directed the district magistrates (DMs) and deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) to conduct an intensive survey in their areas and identify the potential "super-spreader" sites.
The exercise is currently on the drawing board and will be put on the ground after discussions with the DCPs concerned with teams deployed to identify the super-spreader sites such as markets and densely-populated areas, one of the DMs said.
The DMs and DCPs will identify places such as colonies, slums, markets and other crowded places in their areas that can potentially emerge as super-spreader spots once the lockdown is lifted.
Delhi is currently under a lockdown since April 19 which is scheduled to be lifted in the morning of May 10.
In some districts, surveillance teams have been deputed at dispensaries to keep a watch on the areas with a high number of COVID-19 cases. The survey will focus on such areas.
"We have pressed the district surveillance teams and other staff into service for the survey. They are deployed at dispensaries and covering the areas in the vicinity," a South Delhi district official said.
Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Delhi Police Chinmoy Biswal said the focus will be on the market areas and other crowded places.
The district officials have also stepped up the measures to ensure a strict implementation of the lockdown guidelines, as directed by the LG.
Some district officials said the survey will pick up pace in the coming days since people are at home due to the lockdown.
"Barring shops of essential items and services, the markets are closed and the movement of people is restricted due to the lockdown. We are keeping an eye on pockets where COVID cases in large numbers are being reported," a district official in Northwest Delhi said.
The police are already ensuring COVID-appropriate behaviour among people like maintaining social distancing, especially at the shops selling essential items during the lockdown, Chinmoy Biswal said.
In densely-populated areas, they are using public address systems to sensitise people, he added.