Delhi Unlock update: Markets to open as per normal timings from Monday

As the COVID-19 cases slow down in the national capital with zero deaths reported for the eleventh time since the beginning of the second wave of the pandemic, Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday announced the lifting of timing restrictions on markets from Monday.

This means from the coming week all markets in Delhi will remain open as per their usual timings. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "Till now, due to corona, the markets in Delhi were allowed to open till 8 pm. Due to the decreasing number of cases, the deadline is being removed from Monday. Now markets will be open as per their normal timings."

The decision comes after the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) demanded that the closing time of malls and markets in the national capital be extended from the present 8 pm to 10 pm. The markets in the national capital were completely shut during lockdown between April 19 and May 30. 

अभी तक करोना के चलते दिल्ली के बाज़ारों को शाम 8 बजे तक खुलने की इजाज़त थी। कम होते मामलों की वजह से सोमवार से समय सीमा हटाई जा रही है। अब बाज़ार अपने सामान्य समयानुसर खुल सकेंगे।

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 21, 2021

Once the unlocking started, from June 7 markets, malls, and the Delhi Metro services were allowed to open with 50% capacity. From June 14, the 50% cap was removed in the case of markets and malls. However, the shops could function only from 10 am to 8 pm.

On Saturday, Delhi recorded 19 new COVID-19 cases, according to the Delhi government's health department. This is a drastic drop from a peak of 25,000 COVID-19 cases every day in April. The number of active cases in Delhi is 430. No new deaths linked to COVID-19 were recorded on Saturday.