VIJAYAWADA: The NTR Municipal Complex has been serving as one-stop centre for people from the city or neighbouring districts to purchase mobile phones, electronics and computers yet to resume its operations. Though the Centre has given relaxations to revive the economy, the district administration has denied permission for Amaravati Digital Electronic Dealers’ Welfare Association to carry out their business from the complex as the locality comes under a buffer zone.
However, the association members appealed to District Collector A Md Imtiaz to permit them to carry out their business considering their losses incurred during the lockdown. In all, the complex houses more than 200 shops and at least 8,000 persons are directly or indirectly dependent on it for livelihood. On Sunday, several people who thronged the premises to get their damaged electronic devices left the complex in a huff as the shops remained closed.
D Sravan Kumar, a customer, told TNIE his three-year-old son has dropped his mobile phone from a table during lockdown. “I am not in a position to purchase a brand new phone. The shopkeeper said he was running out of spares due to lack of tran P Vijay Kumar sportation. However, he assured to bring spares in a week, but the prices are high,” he said. P Vijay Kumar who owns a mobile service point said they are receiving multiple calls from customers asking about the reopening of shops.
“Before lockdown, we had procured enough stocks from Bengaluru and Chennai and left them away without arranging them properly,” he said. After lockdown was announced, such has our plight come to that we are not in a position to pay salaries to my staff. Vijay said the authorities should consider their plight and allow the association to open at least 50 shops. “They can be opened in a phased manner,” he added
Another shopkeeper, K Prakash Rao said he was not in a position to get on with the business. “Most shopkeepers get electronic gadgets and spares from China. From February onwards, we have stopped procuring spares from China. We can only resume our businesses if the government provides exemptions and extend aid for paying salaries for our staff. The people’s representatives are the least bothered about our problems,” he said.