Delhi govt permits gyms, yoga centres to reopen from today

In an order issued late in the night, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said that gymnasiums and yoga institutes will be permitted to reopen in the city, except in the containment zones, with immediate effect

New Delhi: The Delhi government on Sunday allowed gyms and yoga centres to reopen after being shut for more neraly six months under the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19.

In an order issued late in the night, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said that gymnasiums and yoga institutes will be permitted to reopen in the city, except in the containment zones, with immediate effect.

Acoording to a report in Hindustan Times, there are over 6,000 gyms and fitness centres across Delhi employing over 100,000 people.

The Central government under its unlock-3 guidelines issued on July 29 had allowed gyms and yoga centres to open across the country from August 5. But DDMA headed by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal did not allow resumption of these services owing to the rising Covid-19 cases in the city. The AAP dispensation and the Lieutenant Government office have recently been at loggerheads over the reopening of gyms in the national capital. Last month, the Delhi government had sent a proposal to Lt Governor Anil Baijal in this regard, but it was turned down.

According to the order, weekly markets have also been allowed on a trial basis till September 30 under 'Unlock-4'.

The decision about reopening gyms and yoga centres comes at a time the city has been witnessing a surge in the number of coronavirus cases.

On Sunday, the tally of coronavirus cases in Delhi rose to 2.18 lakh with 4,235 more people contracting the viral disease, while 29 fresh fatalities in the last 24 hours pushed the death toll to 4,744. This was the fifth day in a trot that the national capital recorded a daily spike of over 4,000 fresh cases.