JAGATSINGHPUR: Hit badly by the first phase of lockdown and weekend shutdowns during the second wave of Covid-19, traders led by secretary of Rahama Bazar Committee Sunakar Behera sat on dharna protesting district administration’s decision to keep the market closed for another two weeks.
Considered one of the biggest and busiest markets in the area, Rahama Bazar is situated between the district headquarters town and Paradip Port.
Keeping the safety of locals in mind, the administration decided to shut it down completely during the first phase of lockdown between May 5 and May 19, prompting farmers and traders to conduct business on the roadside of Cuttack-Paradip State highway.
This led to overcrowding and non-adherence of Covid norms, resulting in the administration shutting down the daily market on May 10 till further orders.