Life was limping back to normalcy in most parts of Delhi with easing of the coronavirus-triggered restrictions after nearly two months on Tuesday, as there was significant vehicular movement and resumption of economic activities in the city.
Several markets in the national capital were buzzing with activity, but confusion prevailed over opening up of shops due to odd-even formula laid down by the Delhi government. All kinds of shops have been allowed to open.
Delhi also witnessed 60 per cent spike in vehicle volume from the usual 12,000 -15,000 during the earlier phases of the lockdown, a senior traffic official said.
Although metro services are yet to restart operations, public transport resumed with 2,000 buses as well as auto-rickshaws and taxis plying on the road, with a restricted number of passengers as per social distancing norms.
The industries too resumed operations, but many complained of shortage of labour and disruption of the supply chain.
The coronavirus death toll in Delhi has climbed to 166, while 500 fresh cases of COVID-19 infection reported on Tuesday, the highest single-day spike here, took the total in the city to 10,554, authorities said.
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The previous highest spike of 472 fresh cases was recorded on May 14.
Delhi has been under lockdown since March 23, but the curbs were in place before that.
On Monday, the Delhi government announced significant opening of economic activities in the city, including resuming of DTC operations.
While popular markets like Connaught Place and Khan Market bore a deserted look, traders in markets like Tilak Nagar, Karol Bagh and Sarojini Nagar were seen cleaning their shops.
Connaught Place, which is the commercial hub in central Delhi, saw traders marking circles to ensure that visitors can ensure social distancing.
At Karol Bagh in central Delhi, Gaffar mobile market started functioning on an odd-even basis. Odd numbered shops remained open and many shopkeepers were busy setting their shop in order.
Hawkers who do repair works and odd jobs like replacing tempered glass on mobiles in the market were not to be seen.
However, a large number of people had gathered in the market to get repair work done. Market association and representatives police kept urging people to ensure social distancing.
In its guidelines issued on Monday, the Delhi government permitted opening of markets on an odd-even basis.
However, on ground there was disappointment as well as confusion over the opening of shops on an odd-even basis.
In a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lt Governor Anil Baijal, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) urged them to reconsider the odd-even formula for opening of shops, observing that only five lakh shops could open in the city owing to the arrangement.
Khan Market traders said the odd-even rule cannot be effectively implemented in the market and they are figuring out the modalities as some stores opened in the posh market.
"We are a different market. Our shops are not even numbered in a way that we can implement the odd-even formula. And are the visitors going to visit the stores keeping the shop number and odd and even date in mind? There was absolutely nil business today.
"At least retail markets like ours, which are set up in a way that social distancing measures can easily be implemented, should be allowed to open completely," Sanjeev Mehra, President, Khan Market Traders Association said.
The shopkeepers also complained that customer inflow was minimal.
Pravin Verma of Verma Jewellers at the Laxmi Nagar market, said, "Everybody is concerned about customers. The situation is bad. It was not good earlier as well but coronavirus and lockdown have hit everybody hard and people are buying only essential items these days. Jewellery would be the last item on their mind."
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