Kerala malls begin re-opening preparations for June 8 'Unlock-1' date; eye customer safety

Soon after Union Ministry of Home Affairs gave its d to reopen shopping malls outside containment zones across country from June 8, manment at various malls in Kerala have started its preparations to resume operations. staff at mall were seen sanitizing area to ensure all safety precautions are met as per Centre’s guidelines.

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“We all are waiting for malls to reopen. We have to give a safe environment to customers, refore, our staff is busy sanitising place right w. We have done markings around mall to ensure that social distancing is followed,” Afshin KP, Manr at Mall of Travancore, told ANI.

Every floor will have an officer to monitor social distancing

mall will have an officer on every floor who will be responsible to keep a check on social distancing. Sanitisation equipment has been kept at 30-35 locations in building, Afshin said. He also added that business at malls would take at least six months to a year for recovery from impact of Covid-19.

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MHA Issues phase-wise reopening

In first phase of 'Unlock 1', Religious places and places of worship for public, hotels, restaurants and or hospitality services along with shopping malls will be permitted to open from June 8, said MHA. However, se facilities will t be able to resume operations inside containment zones designated by authorities in states.

MHA said that Health Ministry will issue Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all permitted activities in consultation with central ministries or departments concerned and or stakeholders, for ensuring social distancing and to contain spread of Covid-19.

In second, schools, colleges and or educational institutions will be opened in consultation with respective states and Union Territories from July 2020. An SOP will be issued for same by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW)

in third phase, after furr assessment of prevalent COVID-19 conditions, resuming of international air travel, metros, cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, atres, bars, auditoriums, social/political/sports/religious/cultural functions will be decided.

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(With ncy inputs)