Challans for covid violations see dip in Delhi: At markets, footfall up — guard down

The Indian Express visited popular shopping hubs on Thursday and found that several customers and hawkers were not wearing masks properly and thermal screening was not being carried out.

At Sarojini Nagar, market president Ashok Randhawa said the crowd is back after a gap of almost a year and a half. “However, it is yet to match the festive rush during pre-Covid days,” said Randhawa, as he displayed his latest jeans collection to a customer.

While he is happy that rising footfall will boost business, the absence of Covid protocol among shoppers and owners alike worries him. “We have been regularly asking the administration to increase patrolling by civil defence volunteers, and to control the problem of illegal hawkers encroaching pavements, but nothing significant has happened,” said Randhawa, who also owns a garment store.

Delhi has been recording around 30-40 Covid cases per day on an average over the past month. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had decided to allow “muted” celebrations of festivals such as Durga Puja, Ramlila and Dussehra but did not allow any fairs and food stalls to be put up. Restrictions in markets, however, were eased months ago but with conditions such as mandatory use of masks, thermal screening, and social distancing.

At the popular Janpath market in the heart of the city on Thursday, though, thermal screening was absent and several people did not wear masks properly despite the presence of civil defence volunteers. However, the crowd was significantly less as compared to that in Sarojini Nagar.

North Delhi’s popular Karol Bagh market presented a similar picture. “While shops still maintain Covid protocol, vendors mostly violate rules,” claimed a shopkeeper.

At Yashwant Singh Place market, a shopkeeper said: “The footfall in the market has reduced drastically post Covid. So social distancing is automatically maintained here.”

Markets like South Extension and Connaught Place are better placed as there is a clear demarcation between hawkers and shops and shoppers were seen adhering to guidelines. Atul Bhargava, president of the New Delhi Traders’ Association, said shoppers are largely following rules.

Even as crowds increased, the number of challans issued for violating norms has been dipping. While 1.46 lakh challans were issued over the past month, they are down from around 5,500 per day in mid-September to around 4,500 now.

The Durga Puja pandals, meanwhile, were better managed. Pandals in CR Park’s Kali Mandir and D block park had separate entries and exits, following DDMA guidelines. Visitors sanitised their hands at the entry points and thermal screening and masks were mandatory. Visitors entered in a line, paid their respects to the Goddess, and walked out in a line. “Bhog was home delivered and all rituals were screened live on social media,” said an organiser.