Delhi BJP chief urges L-G to end weekend curfew, odd-even rule of opening shops

Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta on Saturday urged Lt Governor Anil Baijal to end weekend curfew, odd-even based opening of shops as well as allow restaurants and gyms with 50 percent capacity in the city.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had on Friday allowed private offices to function with 50 percent staff but decided against lifting the weekend curfew and removing restrictions on the opening of shops amid the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

The order came after the Lt Governor, who chairs the DDMA, turned down a proposal approved by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for lifting the weekend curfew and odd-even basis of opening of shops till further improvement in the coronavirus situation.

''Trading activities are the lifeline of any city and due to the restrictions, these activities have badly suffered and traders are suffering huge losses. Thousands of people who work with them are facing salary cuts, while daily wage laborers are losing their livelihood,'' Gupta said in his letter to Baijal.

The BJP leader demanded Baijal to end the odd-even basis of the shop opening system and withdraw weekend curfew, claiming the third wave of Coivid has subsided. Restaurants and gymnasiums too should be allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity, he said.

''In the wake of rising in COVID-19 cases in Delhi, the DDMA headed by you had in public health interest imposed several restrictions on commercial activities here. Traders and the general public of Delhi have fully cooperated and observed the restrictions,'' he said.

According to the Covid data released by the Delhi government, the spread of the virus is now under control. The infection rate has reportedly now come down to single-digit, the Delhi BJP said.

Moreover, public transport is running on full seating capacity and has not reported any specific spread of infection, he pointed out.

''I request you to immediately convene a meeting of DDMA to review the restrictions and orderly withdrawal of odd-even system for markets along with the lifting of the weekend curfew," he said.

The Lt Governor had suggested that a decision about lifting weekend curfew and ending an odd-even system of shop opening should be discussed at the DDMA meeting after further improvement in the Covid situation in the city, sources at the L-G office had said.