Delhi cinema halls to reopen at 50% capacity; Metro to run at 100% capacity from Monday

New Delhi: The Delhi Disaster Management Authority on Saturday allowed further relaxation in the national Capital and said from July 26 Delhi Metro will run at full capacity and cinema halls and theatres in the city will be allowed to reopen at half of their capacity. Bars will also be allowed to reopen with 50 per cent of the seating capacity from 12 noon to 10pm. All shops will be permitted to function on all days of the week without any distinction of essential and non-essential goods and services between 10am and 8pm.

"It has been observed that the number of Covid-19 patients and the positivity rate has declined considerably and the overall situation has improved," the DDMA order said adding that due caution, however, has to be maintained for "consolidating the whole process of Covid-19 management".

Auditoriums, assembly halls can reopen with a 50 per cent seating capacity. from Monday. Instra-state buses shall be allowed to run with 100 per cent seating capacity with boarding only from the rear door and deboarding from the front door. In both buses and metros, no standing passenger will be allowed, the order said.

Wedding events can take place with the presence of a maximum of 100 persons and the same cap is applicable for funerals too, the DDMA said.

Religious places will also open in the national Capital but visitors will not be allowed.

For the reopening of spas, the DDMA mentioned that all employees of spas will have to be vaccinated mandatorily and they will also have to undergo RT-PCR tests every fortnight. For treatments which are longer than 30 minutes, staff should wear PPE kits.

"It is further directed that the market trade associations, banquet halls, marriage hall associations, gymnasiums and Yoga institute association, other trade associations and resident welfare associations shall also be responsible for ensuring compliance of Covid appropriate behaviours by all shops, malls, markets, market complexes, offices, weekly markers, clinic, banquet halls/marriage halls and residents within their respective areas," the order stated.

Delhi's Covid-19 situation has been improving steadily with Covid death coming down to almost nil. On Friday, Delhi reported one Covid death and 58 fresh infections. Instances of crowding at local markets have been reported following which the authorities temporarily shut those markets.