Footfall at popular markets has increased since entry restrictions eased: NEA

SINGAPORE — Since last month when weekday entry restrictions to four popular markets were lifted, the average daily footfall had gone up between 18 and 40 per cent, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Monday (Sept 14).

The four markets are: The Geylang Serai Market, the Chong Pang Market at Block 104 and 105 Yishun Ring Road, as well as the markets at Block 20 and 21 Marsiling Lane and Block 505 Jurong West Street 52.

Similarly, with the entry restrictions lifted for weekends from last Saturday, NEA said that the average footfall at these markets last weekend increased “by the same range or more” — between 25 and 40 per cent — as compared to the weekend before.

NEA issued its statement a day after The Straits Times ran a report on stallholders at Geylang Serai Market, who said that they have not seen an increase in traffic at the market over the past weekend despite the restrictions being lifted.

The report said that the stallholders acknowledged the long queues outside the market, but lamented that the inside of the market remains “very empty”.

NEA on Monday said that the capacity limits on the number of patrons who can be inside the market at any one time is needed to “ensure that safe distancing measures remain effective”.

The agency said that while it is easier for customers to observe a safe distance of 1m between one another when queueing to enter these markets, “it is harder for them to do so inside the markets due to the dynamic crowd situation and layout of the market”.

“For example, while some parts of the market may look spacious, other areas such as the frontage of stalls, especially those selling seafood and vegetables, and areas where the aisles are narrower or natural chokepoints of the market, may remain crowded throughout most of the morning marketing hour.”

Based on its observations, “the queue outside the market last weekend was observed to be longer” when the entry restrictions were lifted, NEA added.

“The longest (queue) of 160 people (was) observed at Geylang Serai Market during the morning peak hour, where patrons took about 30 minutes to enter the market.” 

It added: “Moderate queues continued to be observed at Block 20 and 21 Marsiling Lane, and short queues have returned to the markets at Block 505 Jurong West Street 52 and the Chong Pang Market at Block 104 and 105 Yishun Ring Road”.

NEA maintains that a “calibrated approach” is necessary to strike a balance between resuming activities in the market and safeguarding the safety and well-being of the public, and it seeks the understanding of members of the public and stallholders on this.

“By working together, we will be able to manage the Covid-19 situation and keep community spread low,” it said.