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Traders of Prayagraj hope for better days, shoppers ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr
The district administration has relaxed restrictions due to a dip in Covid-19 cases, and markets this Ramzan are abuzz with shoppers in Sangam City
The district administration has relaxed restrictions due to a dip in Covid-19 cases, and markets this Ramzan are abuzz with shoppers in Sangam City. Traders are hoping to do good business this season as the number of people has increased at markets for Eid shopping.
Intense heat at the start of summer has scared the traders a little but they hope that the number of shoppers will increase in the coming days in the Holy Month of Ramzan.
Markets in Chowk, Roashan Bagh, Civil Lines, Katra etc used to be abuzz during Ramzan but traders suffered heavy losses due to the lockdown and Covid-19 restrictions for the last three years. Markets were closed due to lockdown in 2019 and following years and people were less enthusiastic to celebrate Eid due to the many deaths and the threat of catching the infection.
“With the sharp dip in Covid-19 cases and no restrictions, I am hopeful of doing good business before Eid. I have suffered losses in the last few years due to the lockdown and Covid-related restrictions but this season, shoppers have increased in the market,” said Zamin Hasan, a women’s garments trader in Chowk.
Banking on hope, traders have not lagged behind in investing in their businesses. Shops of garments, cosmetics, gift stores, crockery, etc are stuffed with new items of latest fashion and trends to attract buyers.
“Despite suffering losses and financial setbacks due to the lockdown and Covid-19 restrictions, traders, especially cloth merchants, have made investments in buying goods for their shops. However, many have refrained from buying goods in bulk as they are hardly sold in off season and once it is out of fashion,” said another cloth trader, Tarang Agarwal.
Meanwhile, many businessmen fear that heat may affect their business ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. Mohd Arshad, a cosmetics trader in Chowk says that shoppers are few in the market in comparison to pre-Covid period Ramzans. Intense heat may be a reason for fewer shoppers in markets but we hope that more people will turn up to shop as Eid approaches, Arshad added.
Another cosmetics trader in Roshan Bagh market, Kamil Abbas, said that restrictions being lifted has increased the number of buyers in the market. Roshan Bagh market is the first choice for Eid shoppers as the cost of goods here are comparatively lower than other places in the city, he said.
