NEW DELHI: With the Covid-19 positivity rate in Delhi remaining below 1%, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Friday decided to lift all restrictions imposed, including the night curfew, from Monday.
Markets can stay open till late and restaurants, bars, cafes and cinema theatres can function at 100 per cent seating capacity. The DDMA has also reduced the fines imposed for mask violations and non-adherence to social distancing from Rs 2,000 to Rs 500.
Welcoming the announcement, Kabir Suri, president of National Restaurant Association of India, said, “It is a positive step. Ideally this should have happened earlier, but at least it happened. It will bring normalcy to the business and will help us recover before the financial year ends.”
The DDMA also allowed schools to discontinue online/hybrid classes from April 1. Private schools fraternity, however, requested the DDMA to allow for full offline mode from March 1 instead of April 1.
“This will not only allow schools to resume smoothly but will also allow students and parents to regain confidence before the new session begins,” said Bharat Arora, general secretary, action committee of unaided private schools.
After he DDA meeting, L-G Anil Baijal stated that the SOP on ensuring observance of Covid appropriate behaviour including wearing of masks and maintaining social distancing will have to be adhered to.