Centre Allows All Neighbourhood Shops To Open But With Riders

Final call will be taken by local authorities; shopping complexes that draw fewer ‘outsiders’ are permitted to operate

- Amiti Sen

The Centre’s permission to neighbourhood shops and standalone stores to operate in the lockdown period is a sweeping one, and covers outlets in shopping complexes that cater mostly to locals, but a final decision on the matter vests on States, a government official has said.

This means that while it will be the District Magistrates (DM) who will take the final call on allowing stores to open in the districts under their jurisdiction, the Centre has permitted all stores to function barring those located in shopping malls or large shopping centres that attract people from all over the city.