Want to go out for a walk in Gurugram? You must keep the ‘odd-even’ formula in mind

GURUGRAM: Residents will be allowed to take walks in the common areas and parks of their housing societies and condos on the basis of odd-even house numbers, guidelines issued by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) on Thursday said. The resident welfare associations (RWAs) have been directed to further issue guidelines on this.
While team games and group activities will not be allowed, walks will be restricted between 7am and 7pm. Residents will be allowed to enter or exit the gates of their sectors, colonies and condos for joining their workplaces, but measures like thermal scanning, hand sanitisation and social distancing will have to be followed. Moreover, those living in containment zones or those who have tested positive for Covid-19 or are in home quarantine cannot go to work.
Meanwhile, the MCG also cleared the air on the entry of domestic staff in housing societies, asking the RWAs to permit them with certain restrictions.
While the home ministry guidelines had earlier said domestic helpers could be allowed with all precautions in place, there had been several cases of RWAs refusing to let them in. One society had even asked residents to get their domestic workers tested for Covid-19 and permit them to come only after a negative report.
In the new guidelines issued by MCG commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh, RWAs have been asked to ensure thermal scanning and hand sanitisation of domestic helpers at the entry gate. The workers must also wear face masks at all times. If the associations fail to adhere to the rules, they could face action. Residents have also been advised to make arrangements for stay of the domestic staff inside their houses to avoid their daily movement.
The restrictions in containment zones remain in place. “If the area of residence of the helpers has been declared as a containment zone, then their entry is not to be permitted by the RWA. Their entry to a containment zone is also not to be permitted,” read the guidelines.
“We have issued guidelines so that everyone has clarity. RWAs are important constituents of governance but at the same time, we request them not to ‘over-govern’. If guidelines have been issued by state and central governments, RWAs should not ‘over-enforce’,” Singh told TOI.
Since MHA had allowed construction activity in a residence/shop with less than 10 labourers, the MCG guidelines said residents need not take any further permission from either the government or the RWA if the arrangements for the stay of the workers have been made in-situ.
“No further condition has to be enforced by RWA, except those of thermal scanning and wearing of masks,” said the guidelines.