Coronavirus Lockdown 4.0: Delhi govt gets 5.48 lakh suggestions on what to do

The Delhi government has received an overwhelming 5.48 lakh suggestions from the public regarding relaxations that should be provided post-May 17 in COVID-19 lockdown 4.0 with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday saying it included partial opening up of markets and malls, relaxation in construction activities and doing away with restrictions on movement in the night.

Suggestions also included allowing autos, taxis and public transport, including Metro, with restrictions and continuing with the bar on the opening of barber shops, cinema halls and educational institutions and indications are that the Delhi government is likely to propose these and some other measures identified by Kejriwal during a digital press conference.

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The Arvind Kejriwal-led government will refer to the suggestions received from the public to formulate its proposal during a meeting of State Disaster Management Authority chaired by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to be sent to the central government by May 15, the deadline set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for states to submit its recommendations on how to go about during lockdown 4.0 starting next Monday.

The state government has received 4.76 lakh suggestions through WhatsApp messages, 10,700 through emails and 39,000 telephone calls. It also received 22,700 responses through petition portal change.org till Wednesday evening.

Emphasising that lockdown could not be lifted fully, Kejriwal had on Tuesday sought suggestions on the relaxation of lockdown, about the tenure and gravity of the relaxation, on the sectors that should get the relaxation, and whether the public transport system should begin or whether buses, autos and metro ply. He also sought suggestions on whether markets and industrial areas should reopen.

According to Kejriwal, almost all who sent suggestions agreed that barber shops, spas, saloons, cinema halls and swimming pools, as well as educational institutions, should remain closed but found no logic in the existing ban on movement between 7 pm and 7 am. Most of them agreed with the restrictions on elderly, children below ten years and pregnant women.

Almost all of them were of the opinion that whatever relaxations are made, there should be strict enforcement of social distancing norms. Fines should be strictly imposed on those not wearing masks.

One of the major suggestions was on transport where several asked for allowing plying of autos and taxis as well as buses. "Some suggested that only one passenger should be allowed in autos while two could be allowed in taxis. Buses should also be allowed to operate but with only 20-25 passengers besides re-starting metro in a limited way," he said.

Those argued for opening up public transport cited that the offices have now been open but the majority of office-goers do not have private vehicles and they were facing trouble in reaching workplaces.

Market associations were of the view that shops should be allowed to open with an odd-even scheme where only half of the shops are opened on a particular day. There were suggestions to open shopping malls, allowing just one-third of the shops to open.

Real estate developers felt that the restrictions like allowing only labourers at the site to work should be done away with and permit workers staying across the capital to travel to work sites.

Under Disaster Management Act, he said, the Centre has powers to direct the states to do certain things and the state government will have to abide by the directions it would be formulating for Lockdown 4.0