PRAYAGRAJ: The unprecedented
surge in
Covid-19 cases and night curfew seem to have hit the retail and wholesale businesses across the
Sangam city. City-based
traders’ bodies claimed that nearly 60 to 80 percent of consumers were avoiding to visit the markets due to the steep rise in the cases.
President of Civil Lines Vyapaar Mandal and Prayagraj auto mobile association, Shushil Kharbanda told TOI that the situation of market is worse and there was hardly 20 percent business left in current scenario.
He, however, said since there has been an unprecedented rise in the cases in Sangam City, we have appealed to district and police authorities for the complete closure of markets with an aim to break the chain.
“Lives of people are more important than our business. We were witnessing declining footfall in markets by every passing day due to fear of corona” he added.
Traders dealing in footwear, garments, jewellery, fashion items, and fast food corners admitted that there has been a declining sale in the past 10 days and consumers were hesitant to visit shops. However, traders dealing in medicine business claimed that there has been upswing in the sale of medicines and other surgical items.
The active Covid-19 cases continued to be above the 44,000 mark in the district since the outbreak of the disease.
A trader dealing in garment business at civil lines said, “There was hardly one or two customers as they were not interested to visit shops due to fear of
Covid. It would be a better idea if we close our shops for three to four days which would surely help the health and district authorities to check the spread of the disease to some extent.”
Majority of traders were of the view that corrective measures should be initiated by individuals or organisations to offer assistance the authorities to stop the transmission of disease. Closure of markets could be a better idea for the same, they added.