COVID-19: Delhi's Sarojini Nagar market to operate on odd-even basis on Dec 25, 26

New Delhi: To prevent the Sarojini Nagar market from becoming a COVID-19 super spreader, the Delhi Government ordered that the market will operate on an odd-even basis on December 25 and 26. 

The shops and street vendors in Delhi`s Sarojini Market have been asked to follow the odd-even rule over this weekend.

"Increasing footfalls have been seen in Sarojini Nagar market during the last few days; and therefore with the need to control the same in the light of the rapid spike in daily cases and positivity; it was decided unanimously by all market trade associations on Friday to follow odd-even operations for the weekend of December 25 and 26," an order passed by Vasant Vihar SDM Ankur Prakash Meshram stated.

A meeting of all stakeholders of Sarojini Nagar Market was held on Friday regarding the maintenance of COVID appropriate behaviour. 

It was decided at the meeting that the Director (Enforcement) of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and the Station House Officer (SHO), Sarojini Market, will ensure that no unauthorised vendors are operating in the market and that there are no encroachments in the entire market.

They have also been asked to ensure that entry to the market is only from gates number 1, 3 and 5, and exit from gates number 2, 2A and 4. 

All shopkeepers are required to ensure their staff is 100 per cent vaccinated. Meanwhile, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has banned Christmas and New Year celebrations in Delhi in light of increasing new COVID-19 variant Omicron cases in the city.

Delhi on Friday reported 180 new COVID-19 cases. The active caseload stands at 782, and the test positivity rate is at 0.29 per cent. 

According to Union Health Ministry, Delhi has reported 67 cases of Omicron.