Expressing discontent over the ongoing odd-even formula imposed in the wake of a spike in COVID-19 cases in the city, market and trader associations said the measure is not effective in minimising crowds, and the upcoming weekend curfew will hamper their financial situation.
Atul Bhargava, president, New Delhi Traders’ Association, said the Delhi government should have consulted them prior to “implementing the restrictions effectively”.
“Each shop will end up operating only for 10 days in a month. The crowd management is for the authorities to take care of, but there are more people gathering around a limited number of shops because of the odd-even regulation. There has been no assistance from the civic bodies,” said Mr. Bhargava.
Agreed Praveen Khandelwal, secretary general of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT). “The ongoing restrictions will affect trade activities to a large extent,” he said.
Mr. Khandelwal said CAIT had written to the government, calling the odd-even formula “extremely irrelevant” and suggesting that the markets be divided into zones along with a time slot allotted to each of them. “There has been no response to the letter.”
The presence of illegal street vendors also draws huge crowds because the civic bodies have not assigned them hawking zones, he said.
Migrant workers
Another concern for the traders is how they will run their businesses if migrant workers leave for their home towns in the event of a complete lockdown.
“They have families to feed as well. How will they survive if there is no business? Everyone is aware of the problems they had to face during the previous waves,” said D.N. Rajpal, secretary of the Lajpat Nagar Traders Association.
He said nearly 60% of the business has already been lost in the short span of the restrictions in the city.
About the issue of illegal hawkers, South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Mukesh Suryan said the civic body has received a list of hawking zones that will be “implemented soon”.
“The problem is those migrant workers who left the city previously came back with more people to join their hawking activities. The police can stop them but fail to do so,” he said.
