E-Paper
Thane, Kalyan traders demand shops to be open through the week
Shopkeepers associations in Thane and Kalyan have appealed for shops to be permitted to stay open throughout the week. At present shops in most of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, especially in Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Ulhasnagar and Badlapur are allowed to function on odd and even basis.
In Mumbai, shops are permitted to open throughout the week from 9am to 7pm since August 3.
Rasik Chedda, chairman, Ram Maruti Road Shopkeepers Association, said, “Due to this odd and even concept, we can do business only for 15 days in a month. We remained closed for three months due to strict lockdown enforced here; it has had a deep impact on our business. Like Mumbai, that has been permitted shops to open for all seven days, we also need similar permission, now that the situation is improving.”
Shopkeepers have approached Thane municipal commissioner, Dr Vipin Sharma with this request. “We have to ensure that the numbers go down and it is safe to allow shops to remain open all day. We are taking strict measures to ensure crowds do not increase in market areas and the odd and even method is an initiative to ensure fewer crowds in open areas,” said a civic official from Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC).
Shopkeepers in Kalyan, Ulhasnagarr, Badlapur and Ambernath are also demanding permission to stay open through the week. Anand Kulkarni, owner of Trupti Fashion outside Kalyan station, said, “We have been supporting the lockdown along with the residents; we understand the importance of such measures. But with increasing expenses of electricity bills and shop rentals, we are finding it difficult to make ends meet. If shops are open on all days, the crowd in front of shops will also lessen.”
Ulhasnagar and Badlapur traders claim that with cases decreasing, shops should be permitted to open. Sanjay Chanchlani, Ulhasnagar Shopkeeper and Traders Union, said, “We will ensure social distancing. If a city as busy as Mumbai can allow shops to remain open, why is the same rule not applied in other areas also.”