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Lockdown 4.0: Pune opens up partially, shopkeepers rue absence of employees
A large number of shutters went up and shops opened up in Pune after remaining closed for more than two months.
Wednesday morning began with a new hope for the shopkeepers on Laxmi Road, one of the oldest market places in Pune, during the fourth phase of Covid-19 lockdown which allowed resumption of a large number of economic activities.
As per the new directives issued by Pune municipal commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad on Tuesday, public transport, cabs, autorickshaws, malls, salons, restaurants and cafes are not allowed to function in Pune which is a Covid-19 red zone.
According to the directives, establishments selling electronics, computers, mobiles, clothes, hardware, stationery, laundry services, home appliances and offering tailoring services can be opened on certain days of the week. Masks are mandatory in public places and shops have to close for business after 7 pm. Housemaids have been allowed to resume duty in non-containment areas.
A large number of shutters went up and shops opened up after remaining closed for more than two months. Laxmi Road, Bajirao Road, Tilak Road and J M Road were among the prominent shopping area in west Pune which were slowly limping back to life on Wednesday.
As of Tuesday, Pune registered 3,747 Covid-19 positive cases and 207 deaths. The number of micro-containment zones in the city was reduced from 69 to 45. However, 19 new areas were added to this list ahead of lockdown 4.0.
Dhiraj Parmar, proprietor of D K Traders, a clothes shop on Laxmi Road said, “Today after almost 60 days we are opening our shop. We are doing the cleaning and checking of stocks. We will ensure proper social distancing. Our main problem is the absence of our employees who have gone back to their villages.”
Mahendra Bora, a cloth merchant said business had been hit badly. “We have given salaries to our staff, most of who have gone back to their states and are not willing to come back this year. It is going to be difficult for us to run our shop without them,” he said.
Yogendra Ashtekar, owner of Yogendra Ashtekar Jewellers on Laxmi Road said he was opening his shop after 65 days. He said apart from following all the guidelines, they were ensuring “footwear sanitisation” of every customer along with hand sanitisation, he said.
More relaxations have been offered in the neighbouring industrial town of Pimpri-Chinchwad. Most commercial establishments and industries in rural and urban area, private construction sites, private offices, government offices, IT companies, courier and postal services and home delivery of food in non-red zones were allowed to open.
