Pune: Worried about heat and crowds, people want shops, markets to be open all day

Ardhra Nair | TNN | Updated: Apr 26, 2020, 06:59 IST

People crowd the narrow lane of Pashan market on Saturday

PUNE: Shops being allowed to stay open only for a couple of hours each day is causing crowding at a time social distancing is crucial.
With summer peaking, many people have requested the authorities to ensure properly organized markets that start early in the day, at 7-8am, and stay open for longer to minimize the chances of crowding and avoid health risks, such as heat stroke or dehydration.
Baner resident Raanu Goyal is an IT professional who works for a multinational on overseas timings, and says waking up at 10am to rush to the shop is taking a toll on him. “Due to work, I go to sleep at 5am, which makes it a nightmare to wake up and immediately stand under the scorching sun. Daily items like bread and milk need to be bought fresh. I understand social distancing and lockdown are the only way to break the chain, but keeping essential shops open through the day would help people,” said Goyal.
On Saturday, TOI visited the Pashan market only to find it overcrowded with no sign of social distancing. The narrow lane had vendor selling vegetables on both sides, making it impossible for visitors people to maintain distance or follow a queue system.
Sweety Sharma, from Dhayari, has two young children and feels that markets must be kept open all day. “My youngest child is just a year old and sleeps till 9am, so it is easier for me to shop for supplies early in the morning or in the evening. Nobody realizes that closing shops is not the solution. If shops and markets are open all day, crowding can be easily avoided, Sharma said.
Raji Nair, a mother of two, says she’s more worried about the crowd than any heat-related ailments. “The shops can insist on social distancing on their premises, but outside on the footpaths of roads, some people maintain a distance while others brush against us. It’s scary,” Nair said.
Madhav Jagtap, deputy municipal commissioner and head of the mandai department, said the police have the power to change the timings. “There is no way to control crowds at such places, which was why we gave allowed vegetable sales at societies between 11am and 2pm,” Jagtap said.
Pune police commissioner K Venkatesham said they would take a decision on timings on Monday. “In the meantime, we request people not to go out shopping every day to ensure the breaking of the chain,” he said.