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Ganesh festival: Traders claim business down by 50% as compared to last year
Everyone is struggling financially and most of them have avoided spending for Ganesh celebrations, traders said
PUNE From September 10, the 10-day Ganpati festival will begin, but this year too, due to Covid restrictions, there will be simple celebrations in Pune.
While preparations have already started, a rush is seen at city markets, mainly in Raviwar peth, Tulshibaug and Bohri Aali.
Despite this, traders and shop owners claim that business this year is down by almost 50 per cent as compared to last year.
Nitin Pandit, president of the Tulshibaug market shop owners association said, “People are happy to celebrate the Ganpati festival, but in a small way this year. Everyone is struggling financially and most of them have avoided spending for celebrations. This has impacted our business majorly. Business is down by around 50 per cent as compared to last year and I think it will take Diwali to gain the momentum back,”
“Over the last 10 days people have started coming to purchase decorations and other household items for the Ganpati festival, but it is only on the weekend. Rest of the week the number is low. We are already suffering financially due to the lockdown and now there are fewer customers,” said Pankaj Kendre a shop owner in Raviwar peth.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has deployed squads to take action against violators not wearing face masks or at shops where social distancing is not followed.
Since September 1 the PMC’s Bhavani peth ward office, under which several markets fall, has taken action against 800 violators and fined them. “Our vigilance and continuous action is taken at the market places, but as it is the festive time we also go slow on the action. People from all around the district and even outside Pune come to the city markets for Ganpati shopping,” said a PMC squad officer on condition of anonymity.
