NEW DELHI: An association of traders at Connaught Place has written to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, requesting him to allow shops to remain open till 10 pm in view of the improving Covid-19 situation in the national capital.
This is the second letter to Baijal written by the New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA). It cited huge financial losses as a cause of concern for traders.“We request you to extend the closing timings of shops in Delhi to 10 pm on the same line as that of restaurants. In UP and Haryana, night curfew and all restrictions have been removed but in Delhi timings for closing shops is same at 8 pm, which is causing huge financial losses to shop owners,” wrote NDTA.
It added, “Since Covid positivity rate in the city has reduced drastically and is continuously reducing every day, we once again request you to extend closing timing of shops from 8 pm to 10 pm on the same line as closing timing fixed for restaurants.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), in its meeting on February 4, had extended the imposition of night curfew in the national capital but slashed its duration by an hour — from 11 pm to 5 am. Due to the night curfew, shops selling non-essential items are only allowed to operate till 8 pm.