HYDERABAD: Telangana government’s decision allowing shops and establishments to carry out business activities on alternate days witnessed a mixed response from the shop owners, besides people did not venture out to shop and preferred staying safe in the confines of their homes. Not all shops and establishments, offices were opened on Tuesday due to delay in issuing of guidelines by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). Many shopowners decided to keep their shop shut for a few more days as they did not want to take the risk of getting infected by Coronavirus.
Meanwhile, Tax wing of GHMC took up marking of shops and establishments on main roads and the exercise would be completed in a day or two so that no two adjacent shops are opened on the same day. Oly 50 per cent shops will be allowed to open on any given day upto May 31. Many shopowners told Express in Abids, Basheerbagh, Ameerpet, Somajiguda, Malakpet, Nampally, Habsiguda, Tarnaka and other places, that they were confused as the civic body did not mark their shops. They did not open their shops fearing that civic body might slap a fine on them.
A few others said they would wait for two to three days and decide whether to open their shops or not and don’t want to take a hasty decision as every day new Covid positive cases were being reported. Almost all the jewellery shops in the city remained shut even most of the garment shops also stayed closed. Mobile shops which were open said that sales were thin and limited. Many shopowners said they needed some time to prepare for the opening as they need to take safety measures for their staff and customers. They have to procure sanitisers in large quantity, masks, and gloves etc for their staff.
Shopowners at the Malakpet market which comes under containment zone said without adequate arrangements to ensure social distancing, they were not in favour of resumption of business. Instead of odd-even system, there should be staggered timing for markets like industries, they added.
GHMC instructions
Meanwhile, GHMC Commissioner D S Lokesh Kumar issued instructions for permitting activities under lockdown from Tuesday based on odd-even system. Odd numbered shops will open on odd days (with Monday as Day l, Tuesday as Day 2 and so on) and even numbered shops will open on even days.