NEW DELHI: Bringing relief to many city residents, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday lifted the weekend curfew and the odd-even rule for markets and malls, considering the declining trend in Covid cases and positivity rate in the past one week.
However, the night curfew between 10 pm and 5 am will continue till further orders.
A DDMA meeting chaired by Lt Governor Anil Baijal and with Arvind Kejriwal present virtually on Thursday also decided to allow restaurants, bars and cinema halls to reopen with 50 percent capacity.
Meanwhile, further relaxing the curbs, the DDMA also allowed banquet halls in the national capital to organise wedding functions with an increased capacity of 200 people.
Besides, government offices will also be opened now but with 50 percent capacity.
However, the sources said that the discussion on re-opening of schools will be taken up in the next DDMA meeting and till then the educational institutes will remain closed.
On the occasion of Republic Day, the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had assured that the Covid-19 restrictions imposed in the city will be eased as soon as possible.
Speaking on the sidelines of a Republic Day programme, Kejriwal had also said, "I assure everyone, we are working together to find solutions. As soon as we can, we will lift these restrictions. We will work to ensure everyone’s lives come back on track.”
He had also talked about his proposal of ending weekend curfew dated January 21, which was rejected by the Lt Governor, the same day. Kejriwal had said, "We had sent a few proposals to the LG on it. He accepted a few and deferred the rest. The Lieutenant Governor has done this in his wise wisdom. He is a good man; he is concerned about public health and wants to protect all citizens. We all gain no pleasure in imposing restrictions."
DDMA decisions: