Delhi's Tilak Nagar market closed for violating COVID protocol

New Delhi: Several markets in the Tilak Nagar area have been closed by the sub-divisional magistrate till July 27 following violations of Covid protocols, officials said on Friday.

Jitender Singh, the sub-divisional magistrate of Patel Nagar, on Thursday ordered the closure of Tilak Nagar markets comprising Mall road, main market, Mangal Bazar road, old market and fruit market area following reports of shopkeepers and customers not following Covid-appropriate behaviour.

"It was reported that general public/shopkeepers of the market are not adhering to health protocol which may accelerate the Covid positivity rate in multiple ways and the market may be the hotspot in future for spreading COVID-19," the order said.

It also noted that an additional report was received from the SHO of Tilak Nagar that a physical inspection on July 22 revealed that the "DDMA guidelines/covid protocol was not followed in Tilak Nagar markets", and it was recommended that the markets be closed "for at least three to five days to avoid the spread of the virus again".

The markets have been ordered to remain shut with effect from July 23 to July 27, in "overall imminent public interest".

Delhi was under a complete lockdown from April 19 to May 30 in view of the second wave of the pandemic. Phased unlock of the city started as the COVID-19 situation improved.

Markets were allowed to reopen on June 7. However, repeated incidents of Covid protocol violation have led to temporary closing down of several market areas across the city, including those in Laxmi Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Janpath, Kamla Nagar and Sarojini Nagar.

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