After being shut down for over two months due to nationwide imposed lockdown, malls are slated to reopen from today in various parts of the country. Malls are very important and convenient hubs of entertainment and business in urban areas around the country. The move is aimed to keep the wheels of the economy rolling after a long pause.
With the lockdown being eased and restrictions diluted form June 8, people have to follow the necessary guidelines laid down by the government. The malls too, have to carry out the standard operating procedures (SOPs) directed by local authorities regarding safety from Covid-19.
Measures Undertaken
Leaving nothing to chance, these establishments are not just going the extra mile to not just ensure that the entry and exit points for people as well as the shops and facilities inside are safe but many have also put vehicle sanitization procedures in place. These establishments are trying to cover every inch of the premises, in a bid to ensure safety, parking lots included.
For instance, one of New Delhi’s prominent malls is gearing up to not just place a sanitization tunnel for shoppers before they enter the building but also sanitize vehicles making their way into the underground parking spaces. Several malls are also putting a maximum cap on the number of vehicles that would be permitted to park at any given time. This figure stands at 50% of the total parking capacity.
Apart from this, under the government guidelines, valet parking, if available, shall be operational with operating staff wearing face covers/ masks and gloves as appropriate. Not only this but a proper disinfection of steering, door handles, keys, etc. of the vehicles should also be taken up.
Also READ: Watch How Vehicle Sanitization Can Go Wrong And Know The Right Way To Do It
The safety measures will only get more stringent in the actual shopping and recreational areas inside the mall with establishments putting additional safety and sanitization measures inside trial rooms, disinfecting display products, issuing electronic menu cards in restaurants, among other such ‘new normal’ measures.
With the number of COVID infected cases on the rise more than ever in the country, this is the time to be extra careful and not let the guard down. Not just malls, but other public hubs such as places of worship and hotels have to make sure that the vehicles entering their premises are well sanitized and all this has to become part of the ‘new normal’.