Lockdown 4.0: Kejriwal gives suggestions on relaxations to Centre, writes to PM Modi

As the country is entering its fourth phase of the COVID-19 lockdown, the Delhi government has given some suggestions on the relaxations to the Centre. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi listing the suggestions. This came after PM Modi had asked the Chief Ministers across the country to give some suggestions on the relaxations they want in their state after the third phase of lockdown. 

Delhi government's suggestions:

• Private offices should be allowed to function at 50 per cent capacity.
• Market complexes should be open on an odd-even basis. 
• There should not be any relaxation in containment zones but economic activities should resume in other parts. According to Kejriwal, it may lead to some increase in COVID-19 cases, however, he stated that they have made appropriate arrangements to deal with it in terms of ramping up medical infrastructure. 
• All shopping malls should open with the condition that only 33 percent of shops would open on a single day and the management of the mall would be responsible to enforce this stipulation.
• Movement of individuals, for all non-essential activities, should remain strictly prohibited between 9 pm to 5 am.
• Construction activities should be permitted wherever the workers are available on-site or could be transported to the site from within the NCT of Delhi except containment zones.
• All schools, colleges, educational, training, coaching institutions, hospitality services, other than those used for housing, health, police, government officials, healthcare workers, stranded persons including tourists, and those used for quarantine facilities should remain close.
• Barbershops, spas, salons, cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls, social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious gatherings should not be permitted.
• In all zones, persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years should stay at home, except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes. 
• All private offices, irrespective of their location, can operate with up to 50 percent strength as per requirement, with the remaining persons working from home.

Read: 'Odd-even markets & more...': Delhi CM Kejriwal gets over 5 lakh Lockdown 4.0 suggestions

Suggestions for transport activities

• Metro services should resume for the government employees and those with e-passes. It recommended that the metro services should be permitted only for employees of the central government, Delhi government, central and state PSUs, local bodies, and the government autonomous bodies on the production of their government identity card issued by the competent authority. The timings for the metro services should be from 7:30 am to 10:30 am and 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. 
• Partial public transport should be resumed with certain conditions.
• Autorickshaws/e-rickshaws/cycle-rickshaws should be permitted with the stipulation that they shall carry only one passenger.
• Taxi/Cabs should be permitted with the condition that apart from the driver, only two passengers are allowed.
• Buses should be permitted with the condition that not more than 20 passengers shall be allowed at one time. Further, it should be mandatory to have two marshals inside each bus at all times for maintaining social distancing.
• Movement of vehicles should be allowed and four-wheelers should have a maximum of two passengers besides the vehicle driver. For two-wheelers, a pillion rider should not be allowed.

The Chief Minister, in the letter, stated that they will review the implementation of the guidelines after one week and then widen its scope accordingly.

Read: Gambhir ominously warns Kejriwal 'You can hide bodies, not truth', amid COVID deaths row

Delhi CM thanks citizens for suggestions 

After the video-conferencing with PM Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had asked the people of Delhi to send in their suggestions on what should be the state's move after the lockdown ends on May 17. Thanking the citizens, Kejriwal had said that over five lakh suggestions had been received by the government over the national capital's exit strategy. During a video-conference, the chief minister had said, "Delhiites, thank you very much for your suggestions on how to relax the lockdown in Delhi. More than 5 lakh suggestions have been received. Based on your suggestions, we will send proposals related to Delhi to the Central Government."

Read: '82% people who died of COVID were above 50': CM Kejriwal urges to follow precautions

Read: Delhi Congress attacks Kejriwal govt over VAT hike on petrol, diesel; demands rollback