Mumbai: Many malls stay closed, cite lack of vaccine certificate

Inorbit mall in Malad remained shut on Tuesday. Pic/Anurag Ahire

Two days after malls across the city opened with much excitement, many of them halted operations on Tuesday after the government said that it was mandatory for their staff as well as customers to be fully vaccinated with a 14-day cooling period. Malls said most of their staff are in the 18-44 age category and are yet to get the second dose. Shops in the malls had opened on August 15 believing that their staff could work even with one dose.

According to a circular issued by the state government on Tuesday evening, all employees including managers, housekeeping staff, customers and others entering a mall must have a valid final Covid vaccination certificate showing that 14 days have passed after the second dose. The government said children below 18 years of age can enter malls by showing proof of age.

Sachin Dhanawade, the chief operating officer of Grauer & Weil (India) Limited, which operates Growel's 101 mall at Kandivli, said, "The condition relating to mall and retail staff, employees to be fully vaccinated is difficult to fulfil as a large majority of them fall below 45 years of age. The vaccination for those under 45 years of age resumed on June 21. Furthermore, the central government also extended the gap between two doses for Covishield. Most mall staff are therefore partially vaccinated [one dose] having taken their first dose in the last 30-45 days and malls will not be able to operate before September-end."

A deserted Inorbit mall at Malad on Tuesday after the government issued the circular. Pic/Anurag Ahire

He said malls in the city have sought a meeting with government authorities to overcome the situation so that the livelihoods that depend on the mall ecosystem can be protected. Along with Growel's, Phoenix, R City and Inorbit malls shut on Tuesday.

Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO of Retailers Association of India (RAI), said, "Considering the impact of the prolonged closures on employment in malls, the commissioner of Mumbai had indicated that the guidelines applicable for the city would be reviewed to allow employees working in malls to resume work with at least one vaccination. We do believe that the state government's Break the Chain revised notification may need to be modified."

Viren Shah, president of Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association, said, "Vaccines are not available easily and there is a compulsory gap of 84 days between doses. Then how can the government expect people to be fully vaccinated? The government should reduce the gap between the two doses for mall employees like they did for students going to study abroad and pregnant ladies on recommendation from doctors."

Asif Jivani, a shopkeeper at Kandivli's Raghuleela mall, said that they resumed business as they thought that one dose was enough. "Our mall has remained open today. The vaccination drive has been arranged to give the first dose to every employee and staff but the second dose can be given only after 84 days. How can we now operate?"

Growel's 101 mall on Aug 15. City malls said they had hoped that their staff and customers would be allowed with one dose. Pic/Satej Shinde

In a statement issued for retailers, the Phoenix Palladium mall said two vaccination doses plus 14 days were mandatory for all staff working at the mall directly and indirectly. "Kindly ensure that you also adhere to this norm and only staff meeting above conditions will be allowed," it said. Phoenix mall at Kurla also issued the same statement for its retailers.

"No state other than Maharashtra has such strict rules despite a high number of cases. Most of the states allowed malls to be open within 45 days after the second wave. Going as the latest order of the Maharashtra government malls cannot be open before mid-September. Smaller malls cannot be sustained as it is almost 17 months of closure," said Rajneesh Mahajan, chief executive officer, Inorbit Malls India Pvt Ltd and a director of Shopping Centre Association of India.

He added that they have been talking with the authorities and are ready to adhere rule of one vaccination. "Malls are the safest place where the crowd can be managed and thousands are people are depending on them for livelihood."

14
Days after 2nd dose a person can enter, work in malls

15
Day of this month when malls had reopened