Weekend lockdown, odd-even restrictions will kill businesses:Shopkeepers in Ludhiana

Markets in the city wore a deserted look on Saturday with the state government and district administration imposing weekend lockdown again from this week, opposed to only on Sunday.

While all non-essential shops remained closed, a few shops selling essential goods were open at certain points, but witnessed low footfall. Only few residents were seen moving in the main markets of the city, including Ghumar Mandi, Chaura Bazar and Field ganj which normally witness heavy footfall on Saturday.

Already reeling under losses due to low footfall and weekend lockdown restrictions, multiple traders associations and shopkeepers are raising a hue and cry over only 50% shops being allowed to open on weekdays on odd-even basis till 7pm.

President of Model Town shopkeepers’ association, Amarjit Singh, said, “The government is not providing any relief to traders and imposing new restrictions everyday. How will shopkeepers earn profits to pay fixed expenses like salaries to employees, electricity bills and rent? The government is making residents afraid to visit marketplaces by saying the situation is alarming, due to which low footfall is being witnessed. If the present conditions continue, businesses will collapse, causing large-scale unemployment.”

President of Chaura Bazar shopkeepers’ association, Parampal Singh Witty, and general secretary of the Punjab Cloth Merchants’ Association, Sonu Nilibar, said the decision will create confusion among shopkeepers as many establishments are being run without numbers marked outside.

The questioned how the administration would to enforce the restrictions and said associations being told to implement the same would add to problems.

“Many traders will be forced to shut down their shops due to lockdown restrictions. How will the government enforce weekend lockdown when private offices, restaurants and liquor vends are allowed to open? If the administration imposes stricter lockdown on weekends and does not allow any shop or restaurant to open, then there would be no need to shut 50% shops on weekday,” Witty said.

Owner of Basant restaurants, Bhupinder Basant, said, “Restaurants have been allowed to open till 6.30pm, but low footfall was witnessed on Saturday, as fear has gripped residents. Many establishments are on the brink of closure and restrictions on carrying out business is adding to the woes.”