PremiumMumbai: Some conditions laid out by the Maharashtra state government to allow malls to function from August 15 are not easy to meet, says the Retailers Association of India.
After repeated requests from the association, the state government on Wednesday allowed malls to function from August 15 but with conditions that mandate all employees working in a mall, shops in malls as well as customers to be fully vaccinated with a gap of 14 days between the date of joining /visiting the mall and their second vaccination.
"It is an impractical ask as many people working in malls and stores are in the 20-45 years age bracket and therefore not even eligible for getting fully vaccinated. When their eligibility has not been addressed, how can they resume their duties in malls? And how do malls resume operations without their people? We hope the government rethinks the conditions and modifies the order," said Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, Retailers Association of India.
The state health minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said the government will further relax covid restrictions from August 15.
"People with double doses can board local trains. The state government has given instructions to issue monthly and quarterly passes to people," Tope had said, adding that restaurants will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity till 10 pm. Shops, too, can stay open till 10 pm.
For wedding functions, the maximum number of guests allowed will be 200 if the function is being held in the open. For indoor venues, guests up to 50 per cent of the capacity will be allowed.
Vaccine certificates would be checked before allowing entry into malls. "There should be guards at malls. It is the responsibility of the mall owner. Guards need to check the certificates of visitors," Tope said.
