Delhi: Nizamuddin Basti wants to break free after two months

NEW DELHI: Residents of Nizamuddin Basti — once in the eye of controversy following the Tablighi Jamaat convention in the area and sealed after that — are now demanding that the neighbourhood be opened up because there has been no new Covid-19 for a long time now. This demand has been endorsed by the local municipal councillor and the head of the Nizamuddin shrine. According to guidelines, an area can be de-contained if there are no new corona cases after 28 days.
Yasmin Kidwai, who represents the area in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, claimed to have been trying to get an appointment with Delhi government functionaries for weeks, having also sent numerous emails requesting Delhi government to de-seal Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti without getting a response.
“There have been no new positive Covid cases in the Basti for more than a month, and while all of Delhi is opening up, our area gets special treatment,” she said. “I checked even on Wednesday morning, and learnt that there is no active case there. The main road to Nizamuddin branching off from Mathura Road has been locked from the police station till the Basti.” She said ideally the area needs to be opened now.
Syed Kashif Ali Nizami, head of the Hazarat Nizamuddin dargah, supported the demand for the decontainment, saying that the sealing no longer makes any sense now. “There are no cases in the locality or even around the shrine area. Whatever had to happen in the Alami Banglewali Markaz Masjid has happened. It has been more than 70 days since we were locked in and everything has remained shut since,” he added.
Nizami disclosed that he was regularly getting calls from people wanting to come and worship at the Sufi shrine for succour at a time of crisis like this. “If the area opens, we will ensure there is no crowding at the dargah. We have also made sanitising arrangements. A plan has also been made to regulate the entry and allow a limited number of people into the complex,” he said. “Everyone is aware about the disease and no one wants to willingly getting infected.” He pointed out that places of worship are scheduled to be opened from next week.
A Delhi government functionary said the area district magistrate has to take the final call. “There is a standard operating procedure for de-containment. If there are no cases for 15 days, then the status of the area changes from red to orange and then finally green. Only after an area status is changed to green, it can be de-notified,” he said.