SRINAGAR: Civil life in Srinagar went for a complete toss on Monday with grocery stores, vegetable shops, petrol pumps and other business establishments completely shut for the third straight day even as one youth died on Sunday night in the city in firing by security forces.
In comparison with other semi-urban locations, Srinagar has been less affected in terms of civilian deaths and violence by the unrest after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani.
The streets of Srinagar remained empty and not a single shop was open at the commercial centre of Lal Chowk. The tourist hot spots of Dal Lake and Boulevard Road bore a deserted look. Vehicle owners faced a tough time as petrol stations remained shut for the third day.
By Sunday afternoon, many owners had used up their stock and scores of motorbikes and cars queued up outside the pumps by evening. But the stations remained closed even as people tried to source petrol on the black market. A few centres did open later — selling about 600-700 millilitres of petrol at 100-150.
At one such small shop on Barbarshah Road, the few young men who had come on bikes were happy. “There are many people in the city searching for a black petrol marketeer, some of whom are fleecing them. Only god knows when the situation will improve and the curfew lifted,” one of them said.
{{/usCountry}}At one such small shop on Barbarshah Road, the few young men who had come on bikes were happy. “There are many people in the city searching for a black petrol marketeer, some of whom are fleecing them. Only god knows when the situation will improve and the curfew lifted,” one of them said.
{{/usCountry}}Most grocery stores remained closed — many amongst them opened at around 8pm but only kept their shutters half-open.
“We are opening late in the evenings but the fact is that stocks are running out. You can see that some of the shelves are empty. The roads are closed and stock isn’t coming in. Moreover, I have been only accepting cash as the internet is down and card machines are not working,” said the proprietor of a departmental store in Jawaharnagar area.
But fruit and vegetable vendors did business in some areas even as few came out to shop. “I’m importing some stuff via auto-rickshaws. People need vegetables and fruits. Otherwise how will households runs?” asked a shop-owner.