In view of the consistent decline in the number of COVID-19 cases, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Friday said that it will not be compulsory to wear a mask even while driving alone.

During a crucial meeting of the DDMA, it was also decided to reopen schools, colleges and gyms under strict compliance with COVID-19 safety rules.

The decision was taken by the national capital’s disaster management authority during a meeting to review Covid curbs, ndtv.com reported quoting sources. Earlier, the Delhi High Court termed Delhi government’s order to mandatorily wear masks in a car even while driving alone as “absurd”.

“It is a Delhi government order, why don’t you withdraw it. It is absurd actually. You are sitting in your own car and you must wear the mask?” the bench said. During the hearing, senior advocate Rahul Mehra, representing the Delhi government, said the high court’s single judge order of April 7, 2021, which had refused to interfere with the Delhi government’s decision to impose challans for not wearing a mask while driving a private car alone, was “very unfortunate”.

The observation by the bench came when the counsel representing the Delhi government shared an incident of a man being challaned for not wearing a mask while sitting in his car along with his mother and sipping coffee with windows up.

During the DDMA meeting, it was also decided that the night curfew would now begin at 11 pm instead of 10 pm.

Institutions of Higher Education and coaching institutes have been allowed to reopen subject to Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) and strict adherence to COVID Appropriate Behaviour, sources said.

According to sources, schools will also be open in a phased manner and they would reopen from February 4 for classes 9 and 12.

Teachers who aren`t vaccinated will not be permitted in schools.Sources also added that offices will function with 100 per cent attendance in Delhi.

On Thursday, Delhi reported 2,668 new COVID-19 cases during the last 24 hours with the positivity rate declining to 4.3 per cent.

Recently, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal had decided to lift the weekend curfew and the odd-even system for shops.

In markets, market complexes, malls, all shops and establishments dealing with non-essential goods and services shall be allowed to open between 10 AM to 8 PM without the restriction of odd-even.