1/3rd of retail, wholesale shops to remain open in Kamrup-M

Kangkan Kalita | TNN | Updated: May 5, 2020, 13:39 IST

People queue up outside book shops at Pan Bazaar, Guwahati, on Monday

GUWAHATI: With new norms coming into effect, only one-third of the total number of wholesale and retail shops in a marketplace will remain open from 6 am to 5 pm from Monday to Saturday in Guwahati. There are 1,200 wholesale shops in the area under the Kamrup (Metropolitan) district administration, which means only 400 shops can open every day on a rational basis.
Among the 65,000 retailers, only 22,000 can open on any given day. The list of shops to be opened as per roster will have to be intimated to the concerned Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) divisions before opening the shops. Standalone shops, pharmacies and grocery stores can remain open every day.
Though the rotation formula announced by state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday was followed in other districts of Assam from Monday itself, in Guwahati, considering various complications and the number of commercial establishments, the Kamrup (Metropolitan) district administration has taken one day's time to chalk out the plans by holding discussions with the representatives of the market associations and traders' organizations.
"If we go by the rotation formula, in any market area or lane, a shop can be opened on two days in a week. After holding discussions with the traders and market associations, it has been decided that the onus will be on the owner of the buildings to decide the implementation of rotation policy. If any violation is reported in this regard, we will penalize the building owner as well as the shop owner," Kamrup (Metropolitan) deputy commissioner and chairman of the district disaster management authority Biswajit Pegu told the media.
He, however, said that the market complexes and malls will continue to remain closed, including the front-facing shops. "If the private offices located in the market complexes wants to open, they will have to apply for permission to the DC office," Pegu added.
An order issued by the district administration said that any contravention of the directives laid down by the Kamrup (Metropolitan) district administration will be viewed seriously and the trade licenses will be liable for cancellation besides penal provisions being imposed under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
The district administration made it clear that the shopkeepers and the traders will have to ensure social distancing norms and maintain hygienic facilities at their premises and make sanitizers available. It is compulsory for shopkeepers and customers to wear masks.
As per request of the business community, the Kamrup (Metropolitan) deputy commissioner also appealed the owners of the buildings to reduce the amount of shop rent or waive off the rent of their tenants for a certain period.