Uttar Pradesh News: UP Govt Decides to Open Malls From Today, But Here’s a Catch

The decision was approved by the trader's body at the Adarsh Vyapar Mandal meeting in view of the non-fulfilment of their demands they had pitched during the coronavirus lockdown.

New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday decided to open malls and shopping complexes in the state, in accordance with the central guidelines. However, the administration said that the shops inside the malls will remain closed.

The decision was approved by the trader’s body at the Adarsh Vyapar Mandal meeting in view of the non-fulfilment of their demands they had pitched during the coronavirus lockdown.

“Exclude the rent and common area maintenance fee during the lockdown. Secondly, give subsidy on both rent and maintenance fee for the coming 12 months,” said Sanjay Gupta, State President of Adarsh Vyapar Mandal, Uttar Pradesh, as he enumerated the demands made to the authorities.

He furthered, “The shopping mall owners did not listen to the demand of the shopkeepers, so the shopkeepers have been forced to take this decision.”

A memorandum regarding the same was also handed to the District Magistrate of Lucknow, he added.

The decision sparked reactions on social media with netizens confused as to why the malls were being opened if the shops were to remain closed.

Notably, the central government had announced the resumption of economic activities across the nation from June 8, the first phase of ‘Unlock’. Under this, malls, restaurants and religious places were allowed to reopen provided they followed stringent precautionary measures against COVID-19 transmission like hand sanitisation, face mask, respiratory etiquette, thermal scanning and basic social distancing guidelines.