Traders in and around Kochi, made bolder by their success in defying the general strike on Tuesday, said that they were happy with the developments over Wednesday when more establishments opened for business despite the number of shoppers thinning to a trickle and banks and financial institutions remaining closed.
C. K. Abdullah, president of Perumabavoor Merchants’ Association, said that about 90% of the shops opened in the city, where most of the shop owners faced a shortage of workers. “Most of them are on a two-day break,” he said about the workers, most of who had not turned up for work largely because of non-availability of public transport.
Nazeer Babu, a trader in Aluva, said that about 60% of the shops opened for business on Wednesday. It is much more than on Tuesday, which was the first day of the two-day nationwide strike. He also blamed the lack of transport facility for fewer shoppers as well as workers in shops and other establishments.
Better Kochi Response Group president S. Gopakumar expressed satisfaction over the success of the efforts of a large number of organisations to organise a protest against frequent shutdowns and closure of businesses. He said that transport operators would now be encouraged to work normally on strike days. “We plan to come together and urge authorities to provide insurance cover for vehicles so that transport operators are bolder to face the future strike days,” he said.
The city’s business hub Broadway, vegetable market and shopping complexes at Menaka opened for business quite normally.
Cochin Flower Show saw a flood of visitors on Wednesday despite the lack of transport.
