Tilak Nagar market in Delhi closed for COVID-19 protocol violation
What's the story
Several markets in the Tilak Nagar area have been closed till July 27 following violations of COVID-19 protocols, officials said on Friday.
Jitender Singh, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Patel Nagar, on Thursday ordered the closure of Tilak Nagar markets comprising Mall road, main market, Mangal Bazar road, old market, and fruit market area following reports of shopkeepers and customers not following COVID-19 appropriate behavior.
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The market can become COVID-19 hotspot in future: Order
"It was reported that general public/shopkeepers of the market are not adhering to health protocol which may accelerate the COVID-19 positivity rate in multiple ways and the market may be the hotspot in future for spreading COVID-19," the order said.
COVID-19 guidelines
Physical inspection on July 22 revealed violation of COVID-19 guidelines
It also noted that an additional report was received from the SHO of Tilak Nagar that a physical inspection on July 22 revealed that the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) guidelines were not followed in Tilak Nagar markets.
The report also recommended that the markets be closed "for at least three to five days to avoid the spread of the virus again."
Background
Several markets have been closed recently over COVID-19 norms violation
Earlier this week, the Kolhapur Road market and the Inner Circle market in the Kamla Nagar area, remained closed for two days till Wednesday, for not adhering to COVID-19 appropriate behavior and violating COVID-19 guidelines.
Over the past few days several markets including those in Laxmi Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Janpath, and Sarojini Nagar, were closed down by authorities due to violation of COVID-19 guidelines.
Information
Markets in Delhi were allowed to reopen from June 7
Noticeably, Delhi was under a complete lockdown from April 19 to May 30 in view of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Phased unlock of the city started as the COVID-19 situation improved. Markets were allowed to reopen on June 7.