Though the cases of Covid-19 have continued to rise in Dehradun, the shopkeepers and businessmen opined that there is no need to decrease the time limit for opening of shops in the market.
Most of the shopkeepers of Paltan Bazaar opined that after barricading of the entry points by police to stop four-wheelers and some Covid-19 positive patients being found in the area, the number of people has already dropped in the market.
According to the city president of Udyog Vyapar Mandal, Pankaj Masson, the business is already down since the State Government provided relaxations and people are currently avoiding marketplaces on their own due to three factors that include rainfall,
Covid scare due to recent positive cases found here besides the ongoing construction work of Smart City project in Paltan Bazaar. So, there is actually no need to shrink the time window for shopping in the market, added Masson.
Furthermore, many shopkeepers also disapproved of the lockdown on Saturday and Sunday stating that it affects the livelihood of small shopkeepers and vendors.
They said that they understand the seriousness of the situation and if the administration wants Saturday off to sanitise the marketplaces, they can allow the shopkeepers to operate till 2 PM and afterwards, the sanitisation can be done in the area.
Talking about this, Masson said that the lockdown on Saturday definitely affects the business of some shopkeepers but whatever decision will be taken by the administration, the shopkeepers and businessmen will abide by it.