Delhi govt's e-marketplace to launch by December

The Delhi government has fixed December as the deadline for launching its e-commerce platform – Dilli Bazaar – where 10,000 vendors are expected to go online in the initial phase

The Delhi government has fixed December as the deadline for launching its e-commerce platform – Dilli Bazaar – where 10,000 vendors are expected to go online in the initial phase. The move has been designed to boost trade and commerce in the capital and help products from Delhi markets get a worldwide clientele.

Recently announced by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Dilli Bazaar will be the national Capital’s e-marketplace where shop-owners can set up a virtual store to sell their products online across the globe. (ANI File)

The government plans to bring over 100,000 shops of the capital to the ‘Dilli Bazaar’ portal within six months of launch and give them a 24x7 digital storefront, according to Delhi government officials.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal took stock of the progress of the project in a meeting on Tuesday. “By December 2022, our e-portal, Dilli Bazaar, will be launched with storefronts of 10,000 shops in Delhi. The Delhi government will connect one lakh sellers to the portal in the first phase. These shopkeepers will be verified by the market association. An agency will be appointed to oversee all aspects of Dilli Bazaar operations. This will be the first time in the country that physical markets will be available on multiple digital platforms,” Kejriwal said.

An official said under the project, the Delhi government will digitise each and every registered shop in the capital. The government plans to develop a unique virtual experience, wherein people can have digital walk-throughs of Delhi’s iconic local markets and browse products on offer.

The government will establish an open network of e-marketplaces which will help shift buyers and seller transactions from closed platforms to decentralised open networks. “If anyone wants to purchase a shoe from a shop in Connaught Place while sitting at home, they can log on to Dilli Bazaar and choose the shoe they want to purchase. They will also get an option to purchase the shoe from not just Dilli Bazaar portal but also other empanelled portals where the seller has listed their wares,” the government said in a statement.

During the meeting, Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi vice-chairperson Jasmine Shah briefed the CM about the design and development of the portal and explained various features such as product cataloguing, market location, geo-tagging, map layouts, e-payment and digital walk-throughs. “The Dilli Bazaar portal will have a team, which will go to the markets and take care of complete branding solutions. Due to the zero setup cost, the products available on the Delhi Bazaar portal will be cheaper than the price e-commerce companies sell them at,” the government said.

The Dilli Bazaar team is also in discussion with other e-commerce platforms to enable a feature wherein consumers can purchase Delhi shop goods on other e-commerce platforms. This will expand the access of sellers, helping them reach domestic as well as international audiences. Customers will be able to search by product, market, seller and geographical area, besides the unique branding of every market, a Delhi government official said.