Ad hoc Delhi Covid response shows lack of coherence

About two weeks ago, when the surge had just begun, the government decided to halve the occupancy in all public transport, including the Delhi Metro, now the lifeline in the national capital.
Image used for representational purpose only. (Photo | Parveen Negi, EPS)
Image used for representational purpose only. (Photo | Parveen Negi, EPS)

Just like in the summer of 2020 and 2021, Delhi is among the metros that have turned into a Covid-19 hotspot. The number of fresh cases has been in the range of 20,000 a day while the positivity rate is above 25%, two-and-a-half times the national average. Amidst these grim figures, the silver lining is that, like in the rest of the country, the rate of hospitalisation is low, indicating that the number of serious patients is few.

To tackle the surge, the Delhi government has imposed several restrictions such as imposing weekend curfews, closing restaurants and bars, and even shutting all private offices except those offering essential services. But the manner in which the state government has gone about responding to the current public health crisis does little to inspire confidence as it has not been coherent.

About two weeks ago, when the surge had just begun, the government decided to halve the occupancy in all public transport, including the Delhi Metro, now the lifeline in the national capital. It resulted in long queues at bus stops and metro stations, forcing the government to roll it back within days. Another decision that seems to make little sense is to close all private offices, presumably to avoid crowding, while keeping wholesale and popular retail markets open.

Many of these markets are packed with shoppers and sundry hangers-on, making them potential superspreaders. Then on Sunday, the state government relaxed its decision to close all places of worship and allowed Sikh devotees to visit gurdwaras to celebrate Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary. The decision was clearly driven by the elections in Punjab, where the AAP sniffs a historic victory.

The first and second waves of the pandemic had exposed the Delhi government’s lack of administrative experience, especially during a crisis. It is clear the government has hardly learnt from the past. Had it done so, ad hocism would not have marked its responses to the emergency now. Unlike other states, Delhi is minuscule in size, making it uniquely possible to enforce rules and Covid-appropriate behaviour among the public. The Delhi government needs to go beyond its success in revolutionising school education and curbing corruption.

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