BHOPAL: The markets, except shops selling grocery and medicines, remained closed on Sunday. However, traders remained divided over the time for opening shops, which is 7 am to 7 pm.
Citing phrase, ‘Early to bed and early to rise’, a section of traders advocated that adoption is best way of survival and therefore traders should adopt to new timings. Other traders said the timings are not feasible and that shops should remain open till 9 pm.
Trader Deepak Chhabra said it is not possible for all the shopkeepers to opens shops as early as 7 am. “Relaxation in timing for evening hours is more suited for traders instead of morning hours. Administration should adopt practical approach while fixing the timing. Administration has treated all shops like milk booths and grocery stores of a colony, which is not justified,” he remarked.
New Market Traders Association general secretary Ajay Dewani said traders should learn to work in changed atmosphere specially when country is fighting a pandemic. Traders should ensure opening of shops in morning. This will help office going people to make purchases before leaving for work,” he added.
Akhil Bharatiya Vyapar Mandal Mahasangh general secretary Anupam Agrawal said it is time to cooperate with government, which is fighting COVID-19. “Keeping shops open from 7 am to 7 pm means customers and traders can reach home safely by 8 pm. After two months of lock down, crime may increase. So, timings are good from safety point of view,” he told Free Press.
“Besides, traders can do better. They can open shops in morning hours and dump items from whole sale market in noon and again cater to people’s needs in evening,” he added.
