Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for re-opening of shopping malls in the city according to the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines issued for opening of economic activities on July 31.
Worth mentioning, the shopping malls in Bhubaneswar have been closed following lockdown since the last four months in the wake of Covid19 pandemic.
Several Activities have been prohibited within the mall premises:
- Food Courts/Eatery outlets within the Mall premises shall not be opened.
- Gaming Zones/Gaming Arcades/Children play areas shall not be opened.
- Promotional activities within the mall premises aiming at congregation of customers/visitors shall not be done.
- Cinema Halls/Entertainment Halls/Fun zones of any kind shall remain closed.
Guidelines to be followed after the reopening of the malls:
- 1. Social distancing of at least 6 ft to be maintained by the customers/visitors/staffs.
- Use of Face Masks/Face Covers by Customers/visitors/Staffs are must.
- Hand hygiene like frequent hand washing with soap (for 40 to 60 seconds) or with alcohol based Hand Sanitizer.
- Coughing/sneezing etiquettes like covering mouth and nose while coughing/sneezing or with a tissue/handkerchief/flexed elbow should be practised by all staffs and customers/visitors and staffs. The used tissue to be disposed off properly.
- Reporting of illness by staffs to the Mall authorities and subsequently to BMC for follow up action.
- Installation of “Arogya Setu App and Sachetak App” shall be advised to all staffs and customers/visitors.
- There shall be mandatory thermal screening and sanitizer dispenser for use. After Screening only customers/visitors with no fever and no visible flu symptom will be allowed inside.
- Seating arrangement if available inside and outside the mall shall be done in a such a way that social distancing is maintained.
- AC Temperature setting maintained in range of 24-30 degrees Celsius Intake of fresh air and cross-ventilation should be adequate.
- The Mall authorities should also make arrangement of AV media at different places inside the mall and display the COVID-19 prevention measures so that it catches the attention of most.
- Spitting strictly prohibited.
- Effective and frequent sanitation within the premises shall be done within the premises.
- Immediate information about any suspected case to the BMC
- Most touched surfaces like doorknobs, elevator buttons. handrails. benches. washroom fixtures to be disinfected with 1% sodium hypochlorite as often as possible
- Provision for proper disposal of used masks/face covers/gloves left over by customers/visitors and staffs.
- Any kind of gatherings/congregations by customers/visitors or even for staffs are strictly prohibited.
- Number of person inside elevators may be restricted so as to maintain social distancing norms.
- Separate arrangement for entry and exit for customers/visitors and supply of goods/articles inside the mall
Kalinga AI