IndiaNew Delhi, May 3 () As Delhi recorded its highest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases with 427 new infections on Sunday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the time has come to re-open Delhi and people will have to be ready to live with the novel coronavirus.
Addressing an online media briefing, Kejriwal said the Delhi government will suggest to the Centre that only containment areas in the city be declared as red zones and not the entire district. At present, all 11 districts in the city have been declared as red zones.
According to the heath bulletin, the total number of cases in Delhi now stand at 4,549. No fresh fatality was reported. The total number of active cases in Delhi are 3,123.
The chief minister said coronavirus is going nowhere and it is impossible that cases of coronavirus will be zero.
"It is impossible that there will be no cases of coronavirus because it has not happened across the world. We will have to be ready to live with coronavirus. We will have to get used to it," he said.
Delhi has been under lockdown since March 23.
"Time has come to re-open Delhi," he added.
The Delhi government has also prepared a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to facilitate movement of stranded people including migrant labourers. Thousands of migrant workers are stranded in the city, many of whom are currently residing in government-run facilities.
The SOP also allows individuals seeking to move to their home states through their own means, with the help of transit passes to be issued by concerned district magistrates.
The district magistrates in Delhi will oversee development of comprehensive database of migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons from different states and UTs, stranded in Delhi due to lockdown and wish to go back, provided the SOP.
On the Delhi front, 480 students from the national capital stuck in Kota in Rajasthan were brought back by the city government in special buses.
Kejriwal also announced a number of relief measures that will come into force from Monday, but said the lockdown will continue for another two weeks.
Highlighting the adverse impact of coronavirus on the exchequer, Kejriwal said in April 2019, the government earned Rs 3,500 crore while in April this year, it only received Rs 300 crore.
He said the Centre has put the entire Delhi under red zone due to which markets, malls cannot open.
"We have suggested the Centre to seal those areas where cases of coronavirus have been reported and rest of areas can be allowed for the operation of all activities," he said.
Kejriwal said the Delhi government will also take strict action against those who spit in public. He added that movement of people from 7 pm to 7 am will not be allowed.
He said the government and private offices will open from Monday but the suspension of travel by flight, metro and bus will continue. Even suspension inter-city bus service will continue.
Delivery of essential goods through e-commerce portals will continue in the national capital, he said.
Delhi government offices engaged in essential services will function with full strength while offices of non-essential services and private offices can operate with 33 per cent strength.
"Malls, cinemas, salons, market complexes and Delhi Metro will remain shut while shops selling essentials will continue to be open," he said, adding that 50 people will be allowed in the marriage function.
As non-essential standalone shops are set to open from Monday, traders are elated that they can finally restart their work, but it will be far from business as usual due to concerns like availability of staff and commuting restrictions during the lockdown period.
Shops in containment zones will, however, remain closed.
Many trade bodies are also seeking clarity from local authorities on the easing of restrictions as they say there is a "confusion" over what constitutes a neighbourhood shop and a standalone shop.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said there is confusion about the guidelines.
"The traders will be in a dilemma," CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said, adding there is "lack of clarity over what constitutes a neighbourhood shop and a standalone shop".
Meanwhile, healthcare workers in the national capital received a beautiful surprise as helicopters hovered over city hospitals, showering flower petals to thank the "corona warriors".
While the healthcare workers were "elated" and "overwhelmed" by the gesture, they also said it will send out a message to those who have stigmatised and humiliated them. They also emphasised upon the need to provide more PPE kits to the frontline staff. More than 200 healthcare personnel have been infected of coronavirus in the national capital.
In fresh infections, nine people including doctors and contacts of positive staffers of NDMC-run hospitals, have tested positive for novel coronavirus, officials said.
At the Hindu Rao, a doctor and two nurses had tested positive for the virus earlier. The total number of staffers who have tested positive at the hospital now stands at six.
A day after 41 people living in a building in Kapashera in south Delhi tested positive, 17 fresh cases new cases reported from the same building, taking the total tally to 58 so far.
The total number of containment zones in Delhi now stand at 97. The Bengali Market and a few houses in East of Kailash were de-contained after no fresh cases of coronavirus were found there. BUN VIT RSN SLB KRK RKL PR SMN SMNSMN