Delhi / Religious places in Delhi to remain open on Christmas, New Year's Eve

New Delhi: A day after banning public gatherings for Christmas and New Year, the Delhi government on Thursday issued a clarification and allowed the religious places to remain open for prayers and celebration on Christmas, New Year’s eve. In its revised guidelines, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said such places will remain open subject to strict compliance of COVID-19-appropriate behaviour.

In a fresh order, the DDMA said that various communications are being received seeking clarifications about the status of permission for celebrating Christmas festival and New Year’s Eve in the territory of Delhi.

DDMA’s clarification: “On this issue, it is to clarify that as per DDMA order no. 492 dated December 15, all religious places (temples, mosques, churches, gurdwaras, etc.) are already permitted to open for visitors/devotees to offer prayers/devotion /celebrations within such places subject to strict compliance of related SoPs” and adherence of COVID-19-appropriate behaviour,” the DDMA said in the order.

However, the DDMA said no separate permission is required for these activities in the religious places.

Due to sharp rise in Omicron cases, the DDMA had on Wednesday issued guidelines and directed district magistrates to ensure no Christmas and New Year gathering takes place in the national capital.

Restaurants to operate at 50% capacity: The DDMA stated that the restaurants and bars will continue to operate with up to 50 per cent of the seating capacity and the marriage-related gatherings are permitted with a maximum of 200 people in attendance.

The development comes as the national capital reported 125 cases on Wednesday, the highest since June 22, when it had reported 134 cases of the infection.

The district magistrates and deputy commissioners of police have also been directed to tighten the enforcement machinery to ensure people follow social-distancing norms and wear masks.

Kejriwal reviews COVID situation: Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said his government will increase daily test capacity to three lakh and strengthen home isolation module to handle one lakh positive cases each day. He said this after reviewing the Covid situation and the Omicron threat in Delhi in a meeting with his ministers and senior officers.

He added that the Omicron was characterised by a fast spread and mild infection and asked people not to panic as the Delhi government was prepared to deal with it if there was a surge in the number of infections.

Home isolation to increase: “The capacity to follow up patients in home isolation will be increased from the current 1,100 cases daily to one lakh each day. As soon someone tests positive, a phone call will be made to the person and the next day a medical team will visit the person to provide him with a kit containing medicines and other items,” Kejriwal said.

He said his administration will also increase daily Covid test capacity from around 60,000 to 70,000 at present to three lakh per day. A two-month stock of required medicines will also be maintained, he added.