A new set of restrictions were imposed in the national Capital from Tuesday after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a yellow alert in the city in the light of rising cases of coronavirus. A yellow alert is issued when the positivity rate remains above 0.5% for two successive days.

On Sunday, Delhi’s test positivity rate was 0.55%, which rose to 0.68% on Monday. Delhi already has a night curfew in place between 11 pm and 5 am.

The following new restrictions will come into effect from Tuesday, according to The Indian Express:

  • Shops and malls dealing with non-essential goods and services will be allowed to open according to the odd-even formula, based on their registration numbers between 10 am to 8 pm.
  • One weekly market will be allowed to remain open in every municipal zone with only 50% vendors.
  • Shops of essential items will stay open on all days.
  • Restaurants will operate between 8 am and 10 pm at 50% capacity. 
  • Bars will stay open between 12 pm and 10 pm with 50% occupancy.
  • Schools, educational institutions, cinemas, banquet halls, auditoriums, spas, gyms and entertainment parks, gyms and yoga centres will remain shut.
  • Delhi Metro and buses will run at 50% capacity.
  • Offices of private firms can operate between 9 am and 5 pm with 50% workforce.
  • All political, social, entertainment, religious and festival events have been banned.
  • Marriages and funerals can have only 20 guests.
  • There are no restrictions on inter-state and intra-state movement of people, apart from the curbs that have already been announced.

Meanwhile, at his briefing, Kejriwal said that the new Covid-19 cases in the city have been mild ones, and the majority of patients did not require oxygen support or treatment in an intensive care unit ward.

“The government is ten times ready [than it was during the second wave] to deal with coronavirus,” he said.

The Delhi chief minister added that it is disheartening to see people crowding at markets and malls without masks. “If you won’t take care of yourselves, who will?” he said. “I know that people are tired of restrictions, but these are important from the point of view of health.”

Kejriwal added that the government may have to close down markets if there are crowds and Covid-appropriate behaviour is not followed.