HYDERABAD: With the pandemic getting worse this year, Hyderabad has been missing out on major festivities. A direct result of this has been a blow to sales of shopkeepers at Charminar market. Talking about the problems being faced by these traders, Corporator 49-division Ghansi Bazar, Mohammed Ghouse says, “Since last year, bangle and clothes sellers at Charminar market are facing problems.
Firstly, the tourist flow is hit and secondly even locals are hesitant to visit. During the lockdown last year, all shops in the area were shut down. And now, owing to the night curfew, the night bazaar is shut. This is the Ramzan season when people love visiting Charminar area both for food and shopping. People who come to sell their products here say this is their only source of income.
There is no help for these small businessmen. The handmade products that are brought by these businessmen from different places across the country provide great value for money. However, practically all the traders say that the sales are low.”
Mir Faiz Ali, who has a footwear stall, complains, “Our situation is very bad. We wait for the night market for a year to make money but this year too there is no possibility for us to earn anything. People are scared to buy things due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation. Buying pearls or knick-knacks or coming to the Charminar for a leisurely evening out is the last thing on people’s minds.
This night curfew has made it even worse for us as we need to shut the stall by 8 pm which gives us hardly any time to sell our products. I request the government to reduce the night curfew time so that we can earn a little. As we cannot do complete justice to the sales in the morning we would like the government to address our problems as well.”