Chandigarh markets to buzz again, Sector 17 Plaza too

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 18

Life and activity are all set to return to the market places in the city tomorrow. Nearly two months after the closure of shops and markets due to the lockdown, shopkeepers are looking forward to get back to business. Extending the lockdown in the city for two weeks from May 18, the UT Administration today announced a slew of relaxations, which are applicable outside the containment zones. However, the UT will continue to be in the ‘red zone’ till further orders.

The Administration has finally allowed the Sector 17 market, Sector 34 market and shops on the sector-dividing roads to open.

All shops in the internal sector markets (neighbourhood markets) will now open on all days except for weekly off. After almost two months, the Sector 46 rehri market, Shastri Market in Sector 22-D, Patel Market in Sector 15, Krishna Market in Sector 41, Sadar Bazar and Palika Bazar in Sector 19, Gandhi Market in Sector 18, Janta Market in Sector 27 etc will open on odd-even basis.

The UT Administration has also allowed sweets shops and bakeries to open but without any dining-in facility. Only home delivery of cooked/packed food will be allowed.

Similarly, restaurants are also permitted to operate kitchen only for home delivery. All non-AC buses will operate in the tricity with certain restrictions. Cars, taxis, auto-rickshaws, two-wheelers can ply with restricted number of passengers. The movement of individuals will remain strictly prohibited between 7 pm and 7 am.

Limit on wedding, funeral gatherings

Social distancing to be observed at marriage-related gathering where the maximum number of guests will be 50. Funeral/last rites-related gathering to have maximum 20 people; social distancing to be maintained.

UT offices to open with 50% staff

All offices of the UT Administration will function from 10 am to 5:30 pm with lunch break from 1 pm to 1:30 pm. A half of the officials below the rank of Deputy Secretary will be attending the office. People can meet officials for their personal grievance redressal only between 11am and noon, preferably with prior appointments.

Public dealing offices such as Sampark centres, RLA, Sub-Registrar office etc will remain open. Offices of the Central Government, neighbouring states, banks etc will have different office timings to avoid congestion on roads.

The Administration has advised private offices to operate with 50 per cent staff and encourage work from home.

However, defence and security services, health and family welfare, police, prisons, Home Guards, civil defence, fire and emergency services, disaster management and related services, and municipal services will function without any restrictions.

UT to remain in red zone

The UT will continue to be in red zone till further orders. However, there will be regular review of the status by the Health Department. Containment zones as delineated and designated earlier will continue. The boundaries of containment zones and addition/deletion of areas will be reviewed regularly on the basis of field report, opinion of the existing committee and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare guidelines.

WHAT'S OPEN

• Sector 17 market, Sector 34 market and shops on sector-dividing roads from 11am to 6 pm
• All shops in internal sector markets now to open on all days from 10 am to 6 pm, except for the usual weekly off Shops in the Sector 46 rehri market, Shastri Market in Sector 22-D, Patel Market in Sector 15, Krishna Market in Sector 41, Sadar Bazar and Palika Bazar in Sector 19, Gandhi Market in Sector 18, Janta Market in Sector 27 etc to open on odd-even basis from 10:30 am to 6 pm
• Sweets shops and bakeries, but without providing dining-in facility. Home delivery of cooked/packed food allowed. Restaurants can operate only for home delivery

PASSENGER VEHICLES

• Passenger vehicles such as cars and taxis are allowed to ply, but with only three persons in a vehicle.
• Auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws can ply with one passenger
• Two-wheelers not allowed with a pillion rider

WHAT REMAINS CLOSED

• All malls such as Elante, DLF, Centra and multiplexes
• Schools, colleges, educational/ training/ coaching institutions
• All places of worship
• Apni mandis/day markets
• All cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls

BARBERS CAN'T OPERATE FOR NOW

• Barbers/salons will remain closed till a formal standard operating procedure is finalised and announced in consultation with medical experts. Spa/massage centres will not be permitted to operate.

ACTIVITIES PERMITTED OUTSIDE CONTAINMENT ZONE

• Construction work, subject to prescribed norms; e-commerce activities in both essential and non-essential items; industrial activities, including manufacturing

PROHIBITED

• All social, political, entertainment, cultural and religious gatherings

BUSES TO PLY IN CITY

• City bus service to resume
• All non-AC buses will operate in the tricity with consent of neighbouring states
• There will be a flat rate of Rs20 per ticket. The buses will run with 50 per cent capacity only
• Plying of inter-state buses (outside tricity) to be resumed only after obtaining necessary consent from the receiving states

IN PANCHKULA TOO FROM TODAY

Panchkula: Haryana has decided to run buses in Panchkula district. Ravinder Pathak, GM, Haryana Roadways, Panchkula, said, “We may run around 30 buses within the district from Tuesday. Though there is no movement to Chandigarh, buses from Delhi and various Haryana districts, including Gurugram and Narnaul, will come to Panchkula.” tns

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.