By Rohit Vaid New Delhi, June 5 : To usher in the novel concept of bio-safe retail spaces, DLF Malls has initiated a drive to not just inoculate its own employees, but also its tenants. The novel concept envisages hygienic and bio-safe zones with vaccinated front and back-end employees, thereby instilling confidence in the consumers. Accordingly, the company plans to inoculate around 10,000 employees, associates and partners across 10 of its properties in different parts of India 'free of charge'. Similar drives are being witnessed across sectors such as aviation, hospitality and contact intensive services such as salons. "DLF has taken a leadership position when it comes to securing its employees and their well-being. We believe that our employees are akin to frontline workers and they deserve all the protection," DLF Malls' Executive Director, Pushpa Bector, told IANS. "The current drive supplements our ongoing efforts in providing clean and hygienic retail spaces," Bector said. Recently, the Centre allowed for a liberalised vaccination phase under which private entities can procure vaccines at market regulated prices. These jabs can then be administered under medical supervision to the company staff. Bector pointed out that the drive will ensure employees' confidence in their work spaces, besides instilling a sense of bio-safety in the consumers. The company will also launch drive-through vaccination facilities at its properties for the general public on paid basis. The latest Covid wave has forced the state governments to implement local lockdowns and travel restrictions which have started to slowdown economic activities. Especially impacted are the contact intensive service industries such as organised retail, aviation and hospitality. However, declining infections rate and accelerated vaccination drive has triggered optimism over the start of the 'unlock' process. On the future recovery prospects, Bector said that a rebound is expected even this year after the lifting of the local lockdowns. "Even now sales are robust in cities where lockdowns have been lifted in a staggered manner. Pent up demand, seasonality and robust consumer sentiments are expected to trigger the rebound just like it did last year," she said. According to Bector, the recovery process should start gaining pace by mid-August, when a substantial percentage of the population in the metro cities will be fully vaccinated. "By October, economic activities are expected to be normalised with recovery gaining pace. We had witnessed 85 per cent per-Covid sales mark being touched in Q4FY21. A similar trend is expected," she said. At present, DLF owns 10 retail properties across the country. (Rohit Vaid can be contacted at rohit.v@ians.in) /IANS