Holding placards and raising slogans, around 200 gym trainers and owners protested in front of the residences of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lt-Governor Anil Baijal at Civil Lines, demanding that gyms be reopened in Delhi. “Every other business is open in Delhi, but gyms are asked to stay shut. There are about 5,500 gyms and 5 lakh families are dependent on them. When restaurants and bars can open with 50% seating capacity, why not gyms? The Delhi Disaster Management Authority gave permission to marriage halls where people gather in large numbers, eat and dance in close proximity without masks. We are feeling helpless and cheated,” said Delhi Gym Association vice-president Chirag Sethi. The association also submitted a memorandum to the DDMA, CM and L-G requesting them to allow gyms to reopen at least with 50% capacity. The protesters said gym owners are facing a severe financial crisis and are being forced to sell their establishments. “The fitness industry is on the verge of going bankrupt. The industry has somehow managed two lockdowns, but this time, it is breaking its foundation…,” said the gym association in its letter to the L-G. Sethi added, “No cases of Covid transmission have been seen in any gym all over the world. The DDMA should think about the 5 lakh families dependent on this industry. If gyms are not opened soon, thousands of owners and their families will come on the road to protest.” The DDMA Thursday held a meeting and eased restrictions at markets, malls and allowed theatres and restaurants and bars to reopen at half capacity. A decision is yet to be taken on reopening gyms. A senior government official said, “People workout in very close proximity in gyms and social distancing is hard to implement. It could prove to be a super spreader for the virus. The matter will be taken up in the next meeting on February 7 and restrictions will be eased if cases continue to dip.”
