Ahead of Raksha Bandhan, Ludhiana markets witness low footfall

A visit to Jawahar Nagar camp market revealed that more than 30 rakhi stalls were set up which has now been reduced to six, due to lesser people thronging the market and to avoid huge gatherings

With Raksha Bandhan round the corner, markets across the city witnessed fewer footfall as residents avoided venturing out in public places due to rising Covid-19 cases.

The market is so depressed that retailers expect the prices to dip further in the run up to the festival (HT photo)

Markets in Ghumar Mandi, Chaura Bazar, Model Town, Shahpur road, Sarabha Nagar are all decked up and shopkeepers have set up stalls with colourful and designer rakhis ranging between ₹20 to ₹300.

A visit to Jawahar Nagar camp market revealed that more than 30 rakhi stalls were set up which has now been reduced to six, due to lesser people thronging the market and to avoid huge gatherings.

Majority of shopkeepers have stated that residents are preferring to buy rakhis online.

Rakhi sale has dipped by 40%, said Sunny Mohindra, owner of the Magazine shop in Ghumar Mandi. “This year, very few customers are visiting the markets to buy rakhis. Not even a single rakhi card has been sold and due to the pandemic as residents are preferring to buy them online,” he said.

The market is so depressed that retailers expect the prices to dip further in the run up to the festival.

Kundan and sacred thread rakhis are selling like hot cakes in the city. Many customers are also preferring to buy local rakhis than made in China.

Cartoon rakhis such as Doraemon, Spiderman, Mickey Mouse, Chota Bheem are also in demand.

Akhil Joshi, a retailer from Jawahar Nagar, said, “Earlier we used to sell more than 100 rakhis on a daily basis but this year, very few customers are visiting my shop. I have set up a stall outside the shop so that social distancing can be maintained but since morning only three customers have come in and purchased rakhis.”