Khandsa mandi reopens today with restrictions and social distancing in place

The Khandsa mandi, the city’s biggest wholesale vegetable and fruits market, will reopen on Saturday with some changes in its operations to minimise human interaction

The Khandsa mandi, the city’s biggest wholesale vegetable and fruits market, will reopen on Saturday with some changes in its operations to minimise human interaction and reduce the chances of transmitting the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), said Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB) officials. The market was shut down on May 5 for four days to sanitise its premises after nine vegetable vendors tested positive for Covid-19.

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Vinay Yadav, secretary of HSAMB, said on Friday, the mandi will now open for six hours instead of four, between midnight and 6am. Earlier, the mandi used to open from 11pm to 3am.

Yadav said that the sale of green vegetables, however, will take place at the open ground of DAV school, located less than 200 metres from the mandi to reduce the concentration of vendors and retailers at one space.

“Henceforth, guards will allow the entry of only 100 people per hour into the market. In addition, only 200 street vendors at Khandsa mandi will be allowed to carry out unloading and loading of fruits and vegetables, while only 100 street vendors would be allowed to do the same for green vegetables at the DAV school ground,” said Yadav.

Yadav further said that it will be mandatory for any person entering or carrying out operations in the market to wear hand gloves and that barricades would be put up before the counters of green vegetables.

“We noticed that vegetable vendors and retailers have the habit of sifting, especially through green vegetables before purchasing. Hence to minimise contact and spread of infection, we have placed barricades five feet before each counter where green vegetables are sold to ensure that human interaction is limited,” said Yadav.

HSAMB officials said that they will closely follow the developments on Saturday and accordingly issue remedial measures if needed.

They further said that no retailer or vendor below the age of 18 and above the age of 60 will be permitted to enter the market and reiterated the direction that no stock from Azadpur Mandi in Delhi, where coronavirus cases have been reported, will be allowed into the market. The situation will be closely monitored, said officials.

The four-day closure of the market had affected the supply of vegetables, especially at roadside vendors and local grocery stores, which procured their stock directly from the market leading to a major shortage and rise in vegetable prices and inferior quality of produce being sold.