Srinagar: After a month-long Corona curfew, semblance of hustle and bustle was witnessed in Valley markets on Monday as the government eased some restrictions.
Notably, Jammu and Kashmir remained under strict curfew since April 29, 2021 in order to prevent the COVID-19 from spreading. Most of the J&K, especially its summer capital Srinagar, was recording huge daily positive cases following which the second phase of lockdown was announced by the government.
The lockdown was extended five times since April 29 and ended on April 31, 2021 morning.
Some basic life activities limped back to normalcy today when shopkeepers were seen opening their shops and the public transport was back on roads again since the wee hours of this morning.
In other parts of the valley, after a month long Covid-19 lockdown, shops and markets opened up partially while the transport services were also allowed on 50 percent seating capacity.
Amid following Covid-19 guideline, many shops in city centre Lal chowk and other parts of the valley were seen engaged in their normal business activities.
Meanwhile, the government’s decision has received a mixed reaction from the business community.
Chairman Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) Mohamad Yaseen Khan while speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said the traders and businessmen are under severe stress, and it is good for the people associated with the trade to open up their business establishments as per the guidelines issued by the authorities.
“However, if we see these relaxations in the context of commercialization, this is not going to make any impact. People from the trade, business, transport owe money to banks, their suppliers and the economy has been on crippling end, which makes survival very difficult,” he said.
Khan said the immediate remedy would be the assistance from the government, “but given the ongoing pandemic situation, we want to wait till Covid situation stabilizes and we will come up with our demands and submit the same to the government.”
“Even if the trade and business is allowed to work on all week days, we are on the receiving end, unless there is no capital infusion in the market,” he said.
While speaking about the Covid-19 vaccination certificate for the shopkeepers, Khan said, most of the shopkeepers and business establishments owners and their staff have taken the vaccination shots.
“There should be a one more vaccination drive for the left out people, and the drive for the City centre traders, businessmen and shopkeepers should be held in Pratap Park Srinagar, likewise the drive should be held for the traders and shopkeepers of downtown and upper town area as well,” Khan said.
Amid the second wave of Coronavirus, authorities on 29 April imposed the Corona lockdown in all the districts of Jammu and Kashmir to prevent the further spread of the virus.
A shopkeeper in the City centre Lal chowk told KNO, though the shops have been allowed to open on alternate basis, it is not going to yield any positive results.
“If the business has to continue, the government has to come up with the financial support, we have Covid vaccination certificates also with us, but we don’t know if any customer is coming to our shop, will he or she be vaccinated. Everyone should get vaccinated as Covid is still looming around,” he said. —(KNO)