Delhi's stadiums, sports complexes to reopen without spectators from tomorrow; cinema halls, schools to remain shut

Allowing a step by step unlock in the National Capital ever since the second wave has shown signs of abating, the Delhi government is now set to reopen stadium and sports complexes without spectators from Monday. There will be strict adherence to standard operating procedure and other guidelines of the government, and compliance of Covid appropriate behaviour while opening the stadia and sports complexes, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said. However, cinema halls, multiplexes, swimming pools, spas, schools and colleges, social, political, cultural, religious and other such gatherings will remain prohibited, the order stated. Delhi Metro trains and public transport buses will continue to operate with 50 percent seating capacity, it said. Last week, the DDMA allowed the opening of gyms and yoga institutes with half their capacity as well as weddings at banquet and marriage halls and hotels with a limit of 50 percent attendance. On 7 June, it had allowed the markets, malls and the Delhi Metro services to operate with 50 per cent capacity. And then from June 14, the 50 per cent cap was removed in case of markets and malls. The prohibited and restricted activities will continue till 5 am on 12 July, the order said. With a surge in COVID 19 cases during the second wave of coronavirus infections, a lockdown was imposed in Delhi on 19 April. The government started a phased unlock process allowing construction and manufacturing activities from May 31 with improvement in the Covid situation. Meanwhile, the national capital reported 86 new Covid cases and five deaths in the last 24 hours. The daily Covid positivity rate stood at 0.11 percent. A total of 106 persons recovered from the disease in the past 24 hours, taking the city’s total number of recoveries to 14,08,456.