Chandigarh: Traders, hoteliers heave sigh of relief

CHANDIGARH: City residents, traders, hoteliers and private taxi operators welcomed the set of relaxations the UT administration announced on Monday.
As the administration allowed the opening of Sector 17 market, Neeraj Bajaj, president, Chandigarh Business Council, urged the traders to follow all safety guidelines. He said traders of Sector 17 were suffering huge losses and the relaxation will come as a breather for them.
Charanjiv Singh, chairman, Chandigarh Beopar Mandal, said it was their demand to end the even-odd system in internal markets and allow shops on sector dividing roads to open. "The relaxations will bring the city economy back on track and not only shopkeepers will benefit but the UT will also generate income through taxes.
Ankit Gupta, president, Chandigarh Hospitality Association, said they welcome the decision to allow home delivery from restaurants, urging the administration to extend the timing from 7pm to at least 10pm in the coming days. They also demanded the administration to allow a la-carte restaurants in the city in the coming days, he said.
Private cab operators also thanked the administration. Dileep Singh, who runs a private taxi, said they were without work for last two months and it had become difficult to make a living . Now, we can earn something. We will comply with the guidelines announced by the administration," he assured. Swati, a private employee, said the decision to allow non-AC buses within the Tricity is a major relief for residents like her, who have no other modes of transpor, to go to office. Though there will be some challenges, allowing public transport is a huge relief for the public, she said.