With festive season ahead and to ensure people while visiting market follow Covid-19 norms, the Delhi Police this year had planned to focus on security in the city's high-footfall markets. Police said they are also holding meetings with market associations and urging them to ensure social distancing.
Khan Market, Karol Bagh, Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar, Connaught Place, Janpath, Lajpat Nagar market and Sarojini Nagar are among the markets in the national capital that draw high footfall.
According to R P Meena, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Southeast district meetings were held with market welfare associations, and an awareness campaign related to COVID-19 was being run and this time, besides anti-terror announcements, a new audio clip related to the COVID-19 will be played through loudspeakers.
“In the audio, the general public will be advised to maintain social distancing while shopping and wear masks properly. Police had a meeting with market welfare association of Lajpat Nagar market. They have deployed their volunteers, who are ensuring the coronavirus norms are followed. We are also running an awareness campaign for the COVID-19 related norms,” said the DCP.
“Police is taking several steps such as making announcements for wearing masks, follow social distancing, and washing hands regularly. These are being done through police vehicles and public address systems that are in place at crowded places such as markets,” said Dr Eish Singhal, the Delhi Police spokesperson.
“Police teams present at such places also apprise people about the three precautionary measures to fight coronavirus (COVID-19). For violators, we are issuing challans. For the needy, we are distributing masks,”said Dr Singhal.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Anto Alphonse, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), North district, visited the Chandni Chowk market and reviewed security arrangements there.
“Police officers also met with representatives of the different market associations. The officials discussed about the necessary measures to be taken for the security of traders as well as of visitors to the market. The police urged the shopkeepers' association members to install maximum number of cameras in the market and ensure deployment of guards. All shopkeepers were advised to keep sanitisation arrangements and try to ensure social distancing,” said a police official.
A senior police official from the north district said, "It is a challenge for police to ensure social distancing in high-footfall areas, and it seems to be a difficult task for us, but we will keep announcing the precautions through loudspeakers in the market areas. We have also urged the shopkeepers to install CCTV cameras focusing on roads outside their shops."
From June 15 till Tuesday, the Delhi Police has issued 3,86,188 challans for not wearing masks and 31,874 challans for violation of social distancing norms. The force has distributed 3,56,899 masks to people. Atul Bhargawa, president of New Delhi Traders Association, said the footfall in the markets has increased, and consumers are taking all precautions before stepping out.
"As the festive season is approaching, the traders are making all efforts in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and also cooperating with police regarding the security. We have ensured social distance is maintained inside the shops, Bhargawa said.