Kolkata: New Market reopens after 16 days, goes empty

KOLKATA: Shops in New Market opened at noon on Wednesday after staying shut for 16 days but did very little business in the absence of customers who weren’t aware of the development.
Responding to an appeal from New Market traders, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Tuesday evening extended the three-hour business window granted by the state to individual retail shops to stores in the heritage market as well. Around 70% of the 2,500-odd shops in the market opened around noon and spent the three hours dusting and cleaning the stores.
Though the grocery, vegetable, meat and spice range at the market had been doing business during the morning hours (7am to 10am), the rest of the market situated in the main heritage block with retail stores that sell apparel, saris, jewellery, cosmetics and food items has been shut since May 16 when the enhanced restrictions were announced. The recent relaxations granted on May 31 came into effect on Tuesday with retail shops across the city opening for business between noon and 3pm.
“The market department of KMC has allowed us to open during the restricted retail hours. However, other markets in the vicinity, including Sriram Arcade, stayed shut as it was awaiting clarity. While business will be slow to pick up, keeping the stores operational will ensure that there is no damage to goods from seepage during rain,” SS Hogg Market Traders’ Association president Ashok Gupta said.
New Market depends largely on Bangladeshi shoppers for business. Nearly half the customers are Bangladeshis. For a year and a half now, this clientele has disappeared due to restrictions on travel during the pandemic. The local customers who were visiting the market also stopped after restrictions were introduced on May 1. The state had then announced curbs that allowed only standalone shops and KMC local markets to operate for three hours in the morning and two hours in the evening. In New Market, vegetable, spice and meat ranges were allowed to open but the rest of the market had stayed shut.
Prior to Eid, KMC granted permission for New Market to open for two hours in the evening following a plea from traders so that they could cater to Eid shoppers and earn some revenue. Other markets in the vicinity were also allowed to operate between 5pm and 7pm. On May 1, the state had announced curbs that allowed standalone shops and KMC local markets to operate for three hours in the morning and two hours in the evening. It had then again shut down on May 16 following the imposition of stricter curbs.