The Delhi government on Monday passed an order allowing street vendors and hawkers to work from 10 am to 8 pm daily with adequate precautions in the national capital region.
However, weekly bazaars are still not allowed to operate in the city.
“Street vendors and hawkers in the national capital are allowed to function from 10 am to 8 pm daily, initially for a period of one week except in containment zones, however, weekly bazaars are still not allowed till further orders,” the order read.
According to a report of the Times of India, the government also wants Delhi Metro services to resume operations. The government is also looking forward to open all establishments like cinema halls, gyms, and hotels, which remain shut since the enforcement of the first covid-19 lockdown.
Street vendors and hawkers depend on their daily income for livelihood. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, they had strictly been ordered to shut their business to curb the outbreak. While vendors started operating in isolated pockets in the unlock phase, key locations have still been missing.
Now, the Delhi government has finally allowed them to resume business operations.
“Due to some confusion, street hawkers were not allowed to work. Delhi government is now taking out special orders which street vendors and hawkers will be allowed to operate thier business,” the chief minister Atvind Kejriwal said.
The government has also directed all District Magistrates to take strict action against those who do not follow the safety guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry.
“All District Magistrates of Delhi, District Deputy Commissioners of Police and all authorities concerned shall ensure strict implementation of these orders and take appropriate action against offenders in case any offences are committed such as not wearing a mask, not maintaining social distancing norms, spitting in public places as authorised vide notification issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department,” it said.
Delhi was one of the worst affected cities in the country in the month of June. However, in the month of July the situation has significantly improved. The recovery rate in Delhi is now 88 percent while the rate of active cases is only 9 percent.
As per the Health bulletin, the national capital now has less than 11,000 active cases of covid-19. Only 613 new cases were reported on Monday, Delhi’s lowest single day tally in nearly two months.