NEW DELHI: The lanes of Sarojini Nagar market, once bustling with shopaholics where finding a place to put a foot is a struggle, looked deserted on Tuesday — the first day of reopening market following the Odd-Even rule set up by the city government.
Shop owners, however, were not surprised.“What is the point of opening shops when customers may not come? Although too early to predict but I doubt if there’s going to be any major jump in our sale. The government (state) could have waited few more days and then opened it. Loss toh ho gaya hai, thoda aur seh lete (we have already incurred losses, could have bear it few days more,” said Joginder, who runs a saree shop in Sarojini Nagar.
As a part of relaxation offered during the lockdown that extends till May 31, some markets in Delhi re-opened with limitations. The decision of opening was taken by market associations and those who opened were asked by the associations to follow the Odd-Even rule. However, a majority of the shop owners had one thought — there was no hurry to open the markets but how long can the shops remain close.
Apart from Sarojini, markets at South Extension, Khan Market, Greater Kailash-II and Connaught Place opened up on Tuesday. Most of these markets were empty with limited shops opened after following the odd-even rule.
“Sanitization is going on as of now and maybe we start operating shop full fledgy by day after tomorrow. There is ofcourse risk factor as we won’t know who might be a possible carrier of the virus but how long the lockdown can be continued…there has to be a beginning, may be slowly and steadily but things need to be brought back in place. Also the CM said that we need to learn to live with the virus,” said Mohit Sharma, garment shop owner in South Extension.
Connaught Place also looked dull with hardly any shop opened and countable customers.