PANAJI: The Panaji municipal market’s gates which were sealed over a month ago due to rising Covid-19 cases, owing to the second wave of the pandemic, have now been opened.
For now, only fruit, vegetable vendors and coconut sellers are allowed to operate in the complex.
General stores selling pulses and spices in addition to plastic items sellers are allowed to operate.
Only 50 people at a time are being allowed to shop for perishables within the premises, provided they wear a mask.
Only ten new customers are permitted inside for every ten customers that exit.
“We are monitoring the number of shoppers allowed inside the complex, otherwise it will get crowded.
Even the vendors have been asked to maintain social distance while operating.
We have CCP inspectors and the police supervising the situation,” Panaji mayor, Rohit Monserrate said.
Currently only two gates of the complex have been unsealed – one for entry and the other for exit.
Thermal screening of vendors is done each day to ensure their temperature is in check.
Shoppers can visit only till 2pm following which the cleaning and sanitisation activities are taken up by the corporation till 3pm.
The gates are then sealed again.
The stores that sell gadgets, mobile phones, clothes and other non-essential items have not been permitted to operate, for now.
Even the flower sellers have not been permitted.
There are about 80 vendors currently selling the essential items at the complex.
“Hawkers are not allowed to sell essentials near the market complex and only those vendors registered with the CCP can operate within the premises.
We are also carrying out raids to crackdown on unregistered hawkers selling their produce in Panaji, within the CCP jurisdiction.
Outside the market complex we have allowed cold storage centres to operate to sell meat,” CCP corporator and Panaji municipal market committee chairman, Pramay Mainkar said.