NEW DELHI: With an eye on reviving the city’s economy and boosting its revenue collection, the city government is mulling over a proposal to organise a mega shopping festival in November. If the event gets the nod, it is likely to coincide with the two-week long annual trade fair held at Pragati Maidan.
Senior government officials, privy to the discussions, said that the event is being planned jointly in association with the Central government to bring economy back on track and facilitate traders and shopkeepers, who have been incurring losses due to Covid pandemic.
The government, however, added that the final decision would be taken keeping in mind the pandemic situation in the national capital.
“The government had to postpone its programmes planned to commemorate 75 years of India’s Independence on occasions from March to June-July. If the Covid situation permits, the state government along with the Centre will organise ‘Delhi Shopping Festival’,” said an official.
To make the festival successful, the government will tie-up with the markets and traders association. Instead of a common venue, activities and cultural events will be held in different markets in association with Delhi Tourism and other allied departments.
“Shopkeepers should offer some discounts to buyers. The governments will decorate bazaars and other sites. If such a festival is planned at a common venue, it looks artificial. The tourists should see real markets — Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place, Rajouri Garden, Gandhi Nagar, Lajpat Nagar or Kamla Nagar — so that all stakeholders such as autowallahs, eating joints, or vendors can benefit too,” said
the official.
Atul Bhargava, president of New Delhi Traders Association, said that the idea looks ‘promising and good’ and the governments must consult the stakeholders. According to the Confederation of All India Traders, restrictions during the second wave of pandemic led to a loss of Rs 15,000 lakh to retailers in Delhi.
Lauding the proposal, Sanjay Bhargava, president of Chandni Chowk Sarv Vypar Mandal, said that traders would support such initiatives.
“In fact, I have been proposing a festival in Chandni Chowk for a long. After beautification and pedestrianisation of the market, such events are possible.”
Encourage visitors to explore markets
Giving broad details of the plan, a senior official said, the idea is to treat tourists coming to the city as shoppers.
Besides a visit to heritage sites and other places of interest, they should be encouraged to go to the markets so that the retail business can be increased and the economy will also be revived.
Also, they will be seeing popular markets like those in Chandni Chowk, CP, so that all stakeholders such as autowallahs, eating joints, vendors can benefit.