The Delhi government has issued new guidelines related to unlock in Delhi. They have decided to allow Metro trains and public buses in the city to operate at full seating capacity, while cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes will be permitted to open with 50 per cent capacity from Monday (July 26).
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) released these latest unlock guidelines on Saturday (July 24).
These are as follows:
1. Delhi Metro can operate with 100 per cent seating capacity from Monday, although no standing passenger will be allowed.
2. Cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes will be allowed to operate with 50 percent seating capacity from Monday. Business-to-business (B2B) exhibitions will also be allowed, but only with business visitors.
3. Now, 100 people can attend marriage functions and last rites from Monday.
4. Spas are allowed to reopen with the rider that all employees have to be fully vaccinated or undergo RT-PCR test fortnightly. People who visit spas will be required to fill a declaration form stating that they are not COVID-19 positive, and if they were infected before, they are no longer infected.
5. Auditorium and assembly halls will also be able to open with 50 percent capacity.
The decision to allow Metro services at 100 per cent seating capacity will come as a relief to lakhs of commuters who depend on the underground transport system for commuting on a daily basis.
Due to the cap on seating at 50 per cent, the metro has been regulating the entry of commuters inside stations by keeping only one gate open, leading to long queues and a waiting time of up to 80 minutes in case of stations such as Rajiv Chowk and Huda City Centre.
However, the DDMA order states that standing passengers will not be allowed.