With masks and social distancing measures, shops in residential areas to operate from today

New Delhi : On the eve of Ramzan, the government has allowed the opening of shops in the resident complexes within the municipal areas with strict measures of wearing masks and following social distancing measures.

However, the order signed by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, made it clear that shops in market places, multi-brand and single-brand malls located in municipality areas shall continue to remain closed till May 3.

"All shops, including neighbourhood shops and standalone shops, shops in residential complexes, within the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities, registered under the Shops and Establishment Act of the respective State and UT" come under this category, the order said.

The shops will have to mandatorily reduce their working staff to 50 per cent and they will have to follow strict measures during operations. However, the move comes as a sigh of relief for the people who have been living under lockdown since March 24.

“All shops registered under the Shops and Establishment Act of the respective State/UT, including shops in residential complexes and market complexes, except shops in multi-brand and single-brand malls, outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities, with 50 per cent strength of workers with wearing of masks and social distancing being mandatory” will be allowed to function.

The exemption will not be given to shops in the hot spots or containment zone.