Authorities have initiated a crackdown and closed several well-known marketplaces in the national capital over the awful violation of Covid’s reasonable behavior such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. A bustling locality in central Delhi, the Janpath market was shut down for “violation of DDMA orders and not following Covid-appropriate behavioral norms”.

The popular Janpath market in Delhi will remain closed until further orders for flouting Covid-19 norms, according to an order issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Monday. The Director (Enforcement), NDMC and SHO, Connaught Place are hereby directed to enforce the order with immediate effect and submit a compliance report,” the DDMA order stated.   

The Janpath market is overdue to be shut down for being found in violation of Covid protocols. Over the last few weeks, the Central Market in Lajpat Nagar was ordered closed after enormous crowds were seen in the marketplace, with both shopkeepers and customers not acknowledging Covid-19 guidelines. The cotton market in Old Delhi’s Sadar Bazar was also shuttered for disobeying Covid-19 norms.

The reopening of marketplaces in Delhi was part of a phased reopening plan by the Delhi government. The national capital was under a lockdown from April 19 to May 30 during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, but as cases declined and the rate of infection remained low, markets were allowed to open from June 7.

For the past several days, scores of people have thronged markets in Lajpat Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Karol Bagh, etc, stoking fears of a massive spread of the Covid-19 disease in Delhi and bringing back the horrifying pandemic situation in April this year.   

         

As per the unlock rules of the government, markets are allowed to function from 10 am to 8 pm.
Before the order to shut down the Janpath market, the Delhi government ordered the closure of a part of the Sadar Bazar, from Bara Tooti Chowk to Qutub Road till Tuesday.

“The market area from Bara Tooti Chowk to Qutub Road, Sadar Bazar, Delhi, is hereby restricted to open with effect from 10:00 pm on 10 July 2021 to 13 July 2021, 10:00 pm or further orders, whichever is earlier,” an official order read.

On Sunday Delhi recorded 53 new Covid-19 cases and three more related casualties, taking the caseload and death toll to 1,435,083 and 25,015 respectively. The active cases have waned to 743 while 1,409,325 have recovered so far.