VIJAYAWADA: Jewellery, ready-made garment and footwear shops partially opened in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, a day after the state government issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) in this regard. Rajagopalachari Street, which houses over 200 jewellery shops, in Vijayawada saw a few traders spraying sodium hypochlorite solution on their premises. However, several jewellers did not open their stores as they lacked clarity over the SOP. 

Meanwhile, in Visakhapatnam, the stores that resumed  functioning agreed to strictly follow the renewed protocols. “We have arranged gloves for customers. All the customers and the staff will be screened for temperature. We expect that there will be a significant increase in the footfall tomorrow (Thursday),” Murali, a jeweller, said. 

Ashish of Vardhman Silvers in Governorpet (Vijayawada), said screening of all staff and customers has been made mandatory at his store. “If any person’s body temperature is over 37°C, then he/she won’t be allowed to the store.” 

"The entire day was lost in cleaning, dusting and arranging stocks that arrived in March,” A Lakshmi Annapurna, who runs a boutique on Besant Road, complained.

“We opened the store with just eight staff out of the total 16. Customers in limited numbers came to our shop till evening; the scare of contracting the killer virus still looms large.” “It is my son’s sixth birthday and I could not convince him to celebrate his birthday without a new dress. Though the situation is not in our favour, we have to choose to appreciate the good,” said Himavathi, a homemaker, after she came out of a garment store in the steel city.

“Normally, we only have the scorching heat to fight this time of the year. Now, coronavirus has emerged as a new enemy,” rued Appalaraju, a street vendor in Jagadamba Centre in Vizag. Vijayawada’s Gandhi Nagar, which houses more than 300 footwear shops, also witnessed a dull day as most of the traders were seen busy in cleaning their stores amid the lack of customer presence. Vastralatha Complex in One-Town remained shut as Krishna administration denied permission to the stores. In all, the complex has 413 stores selling garments and textiles. Similarly, shops in Krishnaveni wholesale market near Panja Centre also remained shut.