Retailers Association of India seeks opening of shopping malls in Maharashtra

RAI said it had formulated detailed and comprehensive guidelines that have been strictly followed by members to curb the spread of the virus, (PTI) — RAI said it had formulated detailed and comprehensive guidelines that have been strictly followed by members to curb the spread of the virus, **(PTI)**

1 min read . Updated: 16 Jul 2021, 02:34 PM IST Kalpana Pathak

RAI has requested the state government to open up malls in Maharashtra to save employment, boost the economy, and allow citizens to shop in safe environment

Mumbai: As covid-19 cases abate, the Retailers Association of India (RAI) has appealed to the Maharashtra government to allow malls and shopping centres to operate on a par with standalone shops and markets.

RAI has requested the state government to allow malls to open in Maharashtra to save employment, boost the economy, and allow citizens to shop in a safe environment.

“Formal retail spaces such as malls and shopping centres play an important role in the economy due to their contribution to the exchequer in the form of taxes and the people they employ," said Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, RAI, adding that Delhi and Haryana government have supported the ecosystem by opening up malls along with other markets.

"We request the Government of Maharashtra to extend their support too. This will not only help save employment but will also pave the way for citizens to shop in a safe and sanitized environment. Malls can handle crowds more efficiently than markets and hence should be allowed to operate at par with other shops and markets," Rajagopalan added.

RAI explained that malls are important for the economy and consumers alike as each mall employs over 4,500 people, accounts for over ₹10,000 crore of business and ₹1,000 crore of GST. It is estimated that there are 50 malls in Maharashtra covering an area of over 2 crore sq. ft.

Malls have been strictly following all standard operating procedures (SOPs) on preventive measures issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, to ensure the safety of the staff and citizens.

At the onset of the pandemic, RAI had formulated detailed and comprehensive guidelines that have been strictly followed by members to curb the spread of the virus, the association said.

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