CUTTACK: Market committees and traders' bodies in Cuttack have withdrawn their decision to close shops and business establishments daily at 2 pm after the government announced to impose a 14-day lockdown across the State from May 5.
In an emergency meeting on Sunday, the traders' bodies and market committees decided to open shops and businesses as usual on Monday and Tuesday to facilitate people to buy essential commodities before lockdown comes into force.
"We have withdrawn our earlier decision in view of the State government's declaration in respect of imposition of lockdown. Shops and business establishments will remain open as usual on Monday and Tuesday to avoid rush and enable people to buy commodities without any hassles," said general secretary of Cuttack Chamber of Commerce Prafulla Kumar Chhatoi.
While all markets across the city will remain open as usual, shops at Malgodown will open from 10 am to 7 pm on the two days. The decision to open the shops from 6 am to 2 pm was taken to prevent rush at markets.
"But considering the possibility that people might rush to the markets to purchase goods and other commodities during the stipulated business hours in view of imposition of lockdown, we changed our decision," said Chhatoi.
In a voluntary move to impose self-restrictions for checking spread of COVID-19 in the city, different trader associations and market committees including the Cuttack Chamber of Commerce, Malgodown and Chhatra Bazar traders' body had decided in a meeting on Thursday to close all shops and business establishments at 2 pm from May 3 to 18.