Vendors heave a sigh of relief as weekly markets reopen in the Capital

Weekly markets in the city were allowed to reopen, subject to a long list of conditions concerning location, space, capacity and random Covid-19 tests of vendors and customers.

Arvind Kumar meticulously arranged the products – plastic soap cases, shaving razors, small bathroom mirrors and combs of different size – in his makeshift shop as two government officials approached him and collected his swab samples for a Covid-19 test. Around 4pm, visitors started trickling in at the weekly bazaar in west Delhi’s Mundka which reopened on Monday.

A rush of shoppers at a weekly market in Delhi on Wednesday, (Photo by Amal KS/ Hindustan Times)

Weekly markets in the city were allowed to reopen, subject to a long list of conditions concerning location, space, capacity and random Covid-19 tests of vendors and customers, after eight weeks on Monday, according to the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) directions to scale down lockdown restrictions.

“The last two months were difficult. Without any work, I had to go back to my village. I returned with my family last week and started visiting the labour chowk looking for daily wage work. But I hardly managed to get any. It is a relief that the government has allowed the weekly markets to open. We can open our shops again,” said Kumar.

Yusuf Khan, a vendor at a weekly market in northeast Delhi’s Gokalpuri, said: “It is a major relief. Last year, the government had allowed weekly markets to resume functioning only after months of lockdown. This time we have been allowed to resume business in eight weeks. We will ensure that all regulations are strictly followed.”

Among the restrictions are limiting opening of weekly markets to just one per day per week in each zone. “Only one authorised weekly market (upto the limit of 50% of the allowed vendors at a normal time) per day per zone… shall be allowed subject to the strict compliance of SOP and all instructions/ guidelines issued by government of India/ government of Delhi from time to time,” said the DDMA order.

“No weekly market shall be allowed to function on roadsides. The weekly markets can be allowed to function at nearby suitable public and school grounds, where SOP/guidelines of DDMA can be strictly implemented. No unauthorised weekly market shall be allowed to function… RT-PCR/rapid antigen tests of vendors/customers of weekly markets shall be conducted on random basis by the district magistrate concerned regularly,” the DDMA order added.

While Delhi has a total 12 municipal zones, indicating that only a maximum of 84 weekly markets will be allowed to open this week, as per Brijesh Goyal, president of the chamber of trade and industry, the Capital has around 2,700 weekly bazaars which collectively engage around 400,000 people in different roles -- vendors, suppliers, and labourers, among others.

Weekly market associations, however, expressed confidence that restrictions will ease in the coming weeks. “It (the DDMA order) has come as a major relief. This week, only few big weekly markets are likely to receive permission to open under the given rules. But, we hope, in the coming weeks, the rules are further relaxed and more weekly markets are allowed to open. Vendors are in deep distress and they will strictly adhere to all Covid-19 regulations,” said Sanjay Kumar, a vendor and member of town vending committee in charge of a weekly market in the Yamuna embankment area in east Delhi.

Dhanik Chand, vendor and member of town vending committee in charge of a weekly market in Mandawali locality, echoed similar opinions. “We hope more markets are allowed to open in the coming weeks even if under stricter enforcement,” he said.

Delhi government officials said that weekly markets have been allowed to open on a “trial basis”. “The one market per day per municipal zone rule is likely to be further relaxed in few weeks if Covid-19 cases stay under control,” said a DDMA official.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s announcement on Sunday regarding the re-opening of weekly markets came as a major relief for tens of thousands of people who are associated with these markets scattered across the city, which specially cater to lower-income and middle-income group people, offering products ranging from soaps and utensils to toys and garments. Delhi has around 2,700 weekly bazaars which collectively engage around 400,000 people in different roles – vendors, suppliers, labourers, etc -- said Brijesh Goyal, president of chamber of trade and industry.

In east Delhi’s Gandhi Nagar wholesale market, Akashdeep Balli pulled out a stack of neatly folded jeans from a shelf in his stall as a few eager customers asked him about the possibility of a stock clearance rebates. As Balli wholeheartedly agreed, his neighbouring stall owner barged in promising higher discounts in light of “a lockdown” which, he said, can be imposed “any time due another surge in Covid-19 cases in Delhi in the coming weeks”.

The fear of a potential fifth wave is palpable, even though the government allowing shops in markets in the city to operate seven days of the week has come as a major relief, as against last week’s relaxation which allowed only 50% of shops to operate in a day.

Devraj Baweja, general secretary of the confederation of Sadar Bazar traders’ association, said: “Traders have faced huge losses due to the pandemic. The market will take time to recover. We pray that another lockdown does not happen. We have to make sure that we strictly follow all safety measures.”