The malls can operate from 10 am to 6 am with a limited number of visitors. File
After staying shut for nearly a month owing to a lockdown in the wake of a spike in Covid cases, malls in Haryana reopened today under strict guidelines.
The lockdown, which started on May 3, was extended till June 7 yesterday. The state government, however, allowed malls and shops to operate while following restrictions.
As per the guidelines, the malls can operate from 10 am to 6 am with a limited number of visitors -- one person for every 25 square foot area.
Arjun Gehlot, owner of Ambience Mall, told NDTV, "I am happy that malls have reopened. We will keep following strict guidelines and observe Covid appropriate behaviour. We have thermal scanners and sanitiser machines installed everywhere in the mall. We also have an app that will enable us to monitor the number of people entering the mall."
Several people were seen shopping at the mall today. Delhi resident Naina told NDTV that she had come to shop for her upcoming wedding. "I am getting married in July and I have so much to shop. I am here to shop for my wedding trousseau. I am happy to finally be shopping inside a mall," she said.
Under the new set of guidelines, standalone shops will be allowed to operate in the day. Shops that are not standalone will be allowed to operate from 9 am to 3pm on an odd-even basis.
While hotels have been allowed to take in guests, banquet halls and conference rooms cannot operate for now. Restaurants can continue takeaway services, but dine-in has not been permitted. The delivery of essential items like groceries and medicines will continue.
Schools, colleges and training institutes will continue to remain closed. Cinema halls and bars will also stay shut.
Haryana yesterday reported 1,452 Covid cases, with Gurgaon reporting 100 new infections, its lowest single-day case count in the second wave of Covid infections.