New Delhi, June 4

Days after the Delhi government partially lifted the lockdown, allowing manufacturing and construction activities to resume, traders on Friday said the odd-even system should not be implemented in the opening and functioning of shops and markets.

In a letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, the Confederation of all India Traders (CAIT) said they do not want the "odd-even" system to be implemented in the functioning of shops and markets, once the government allows them to reopen.

"It runs contrary to the business character of Delhi which is highly dependent upon one trader to another for procurement of goods and therefore, the odd-even formula has no use in Delhi," the confederation has argued.

Kejriwal had earlier announced that the government would start lifting restrictions gradually in the National Capital.

The Delhi government allowed the manufacturing and construction activities to resume operation from May 31. Shops and market spaces, however, continue to remain under curfew.

According to CAIT, there are about 15 lakh traders in Delhi providing employment to about 40 lakh people, and the capital has lost a business of Rs 40,000 crore during the past two months.

Recommending a system of function, CAIT said the market spaces should open every day based on a "wholesale-retail staggered timing format".

"The wholesale markets should have work timings from 10 am to 4 pm, whereas the retail markets should open from 12 pm to 7 pm," the CAIT statement said.

"The decision to choose between wholesale and retail for classification of trade under any of the two formats, should be left open to the markets,” it said.

In its letter to the government, CAIT also requested that all transport and logistics be allowed to function according to the timings of both market formats, allowing "easy movement of goods from one place to another in Delhi and also sending goods to other states rather than following the general rules of no entry". — PTI