Gurugram orders all shops to shut by 6 pm every day, those in 'essential categories' exempted

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GURUGRAM: Amid rising COVID-19 cases in the country, the Gurugram district administration has directed all shops to close by 6 pm every day. The new order issued by the Gurugram District Magistrate includes shopping malls, plazas and community markets.  

However, the order excludes those shops which come in the "essential categories". As per the order, pharmaceutical and grocery shops have been exempted, while restaurants can only operate for home delivery.

जिला प्रशाशन द्वारा दुकाने बंद करने के संबंध में आदेश दिनांक 23/04/2021 pic.twitter.com/d3EtJxfw2X — DC Gurugram (@DC_Gurugram) April 23, 2021

The latest order was issued after Gurugram recorded the highest one-day spike of 4,319 COVID-19 cases on Friday. 

The Haryana government had on Thursday announced several restrictions to control the spread, including the closure of shops by 6 pm and a ban on all non-essential gatherings.

The restrictions came into effect from Friday. "All shops will remain closed from 6 pm onward in Haryana from Friday, all non-essential gatherings are banned, anybody holding any function within the prescribed limit will have to seek permission from concerned SDM (Sub Divisional Magistrate)," state’s Home and Health Minister Anil Vij had informed through a tweet.

The state government had recently capped the number of attendees in indoor events to 50 and that for open spaces to 200. The Haryana government had recently imposed a coronavirus-induced night curfew from 10 pm to 5 in the state after a surge in the cases.

Talking to reporters after chairing a meeting of the state cabinet here, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the standalone stores located in less crowded areas would be exempted, but deputy commissioners of the district concerned will take a final decision on this.

The order will be strictly applicable to shops located in crowded areas, he said. Khattar reiterated that the Haryana government was not contemplating imposing any lockdown in the state.

He said the migrant workers need not worry and should carry on with their work. On April 21, Haryana recorded 9,623 new COVID-19 infections and 45 deaths, the state's highest single-day spike in both cases and fatalities so far.