Stand-alone shops in Delhi reopen after relaxation guidelines

New Delhi [India], April 25 (ANI): Hardware shops in Laxmi Nagar here on Saturday opened after a month into COVID-19 lockdown, after the Centre issued guidelines allowing all shops in residential areas to reopen, conditionally during the lockdown.
According to a clarification earlier today by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) all shops in rural areas except for those in malls, could open. While in urban areas, all standalone and neighbourhood shops and those in residential complexes are allowed to open but not those in markets, market complexes and shopping malls.
Several stand-alone shops in Laxmi Nagar were seen open on Saturday morning.
"It is a matter of great relief. It is big news for the small shopkeepers who are daily earners. The rules the government has asked to follow, is for the safety for all of us, which is very important," said Ramesh Jain, an owner of a hardware shop in Laxmi Nagar.
Mahesh Gupta, who also runs a hardware shop in Laxmi Nagar, said that the decision taken by the central government is commendable.
Gupta said people here will follow all guidelines issued by the government to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Apart from Laxmi Nagar in the national capital, shops in the Hauz Khas market were also seen open.
Thanking the government for allowing small shops to open, a stationery shop owner in the Hauz Khas market said, "Stationary demand was there from starting as students needed materials for their online classes and also offices which are open need paper."
In an order on Friday, the MHA exempted all shops under the Shops and Establishment Act, including shops in residential complexes and market complexes, from revised consolidated lockdown restrictions. However, the relaxations are not applicable in hotspots and containment zones. (ANI)