Delhi government imposes Graded Response Action Plan amid spike in Omicron cases - What's closed, what's open

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a high-level meeting on Tuesday and decided on imposing restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to curb the spread of COVID-19 infection.

The Chief Minister said that as the COVID-19 positivity rate has been above 0.5% for the past few days, the government is enforcing Level-I (Yellow alert) of the Graded Response Action Plan. 

What's allowed, what's not?

According to the detailed plan, shops in malls and shopping complexes will be allowed to operate on an odd-even basis from 10 am to 8 pm.

Every municipal corporate will be allowed to have only one weekly market that will be opened with 50 per cent capacity.

All cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes to be shut. All auditoriums and assembly halls will be closed.

Capacity at restaurants again reduced to 50 per cent and will operate from 10 am to 8 pm. Bars and spas will operate from 12 pm to 8 pm with 50 per cent capacity.

Private offices to operate with 50 per cent staff.

Hotels to work as quarantine centres.

20 people are allowed at weddings and funerals.

Delhi Metro will run with 50% seating capacity, but no standing passengers.

Religious places will remain open but devotees are not allowed.

Only 2 persons are allowed in autos and taxis.

Graded Response Action Plan

The Graded Response Action Plan is a step in the direction and contains Yellow, Amber, Orange, and Red signify different levels in the Covid situation.

The different colours in the action plan define parameters to be disseminated to the public at large with reference to the timelines and quantum of restrictions. Level 1 is yellow, level 2 is amber, level 3 is orange and level 4 is red in the Graded Response Action Plan. Further, it consists of 3 parameters, namely positivity rate, cumulative new positive cases and average oxygenated bed occupancy for lockdown / unlock in Delhi.

Yellow signifies the lowest level of alert while red is the highest, which would bring the city under a complete lockdown. However, most economic, social activities and public transport facilities would come to a halt with the Orange alert. At any level of alert, schools, colleges and educational institutions will remain closed. Religious institutions will open, but devotees will not be allowed to come.

"As per the DDMA order, all social, political, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious, and festival-related gathering and congregations are completely prohibited in Delhi," the DDMA order read.

The DDMA has directed all the district magistrates and DCPs to ensure that no cultural events, gatherings or congregations take place for celebrating Christmas or New Year in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.

Also, capacity at public places like restaurants has again been reduced to 50 per cent.

Meanwhile, Delhi on Monday reported 331 fresh Covid-19 cases, pushing the infection tally to 14,43,683. This was the highest single-day rise after June 6 this year. With this, Delhi`s Covid positivity rate stood at 0.68 per cent.

One Covid-19 related death was also reported in the city, pushing the cumulative death toll to 25,106. Recently, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) put a ban on all kinds of gatherings on Christmas and New Year in the city.