Despite opposition from traders, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) administration in its order on Thursday decided to retain its ‘even-odd’ formula for commercial shop openings across the city, a move many traders defied on Friday when the 10-day lockdown was lifted.
As per the order, on even dates shops on one side of the road will be open while those on the other side while resume business on odd days. However, the Pune Traders Federation has opposed the move and kept shops on both sides of the streets open on the first day on Friday.
Several shops in areas like Laxmi road, Kumthekar road, Bajirao road, Satara road, Tilak road and others were seen open. In suburban areas like Aundh, Baner and Bavdhan, along with Hadapsar, many shops were seen open on both sides of the road.
“As the lockdown was ending on Thursday, we had already written our demands to PMC commissioner and all other governing bodies. One of our major demands was cancelling the odd-even days’ formula due to which each shop owner is facing huge financial losses,” said Fattechand Ranka, president, Traders Association.
“For the last three to four months, shops are closed and according to the formula, one has to keep the shop open only for 15 days in a month. So we demanded to cancel it and still, they continued it. So, we have now left with no option but to oppose the decision and shop owners or traders are ready to face any action but will keep the shops open,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“For the last three to four months, shops are closed and according to the formula, one has to keep the shop open only for 15 days in a month. So we demanded to cancel it and still, they continued it. So, we have now left with no option but to oppose the decision and shop owners or traders are ready to face any action but will keep the shops open,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}There are more than 30,000 shops across Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad and around 10 lakh people are dependant financially, according to the traders’ body, which claimed that the rule is creating confusion and quarrel between shop owners and business has gone down.
“On one hand all other essential shops, vegetable markets, roadside hawkers, private offices are open throughout the month why this injustice is only with the shop owners. The spread of Covid-19 is not because of us, it is due to the failure of the government agencies and they cannot blame us for their failure,” he said.
“All the shop owners are taking safety precautions for their staff and customers. Still, the odd-even formula is imposed on us, we are going to take a meeting of all our association members on Monday and further plan of action to oppose this decision will be decided,” he added.
Despite shops open on both sides, PMC did not act against any trader.
“The odd-even rules for the shop owners are not decided by us, but is the regulation of the Maharashtra government. The order of restarting Pune has come yesterday only and it cannot be changed in one day about the P1 and P2 issue,” said Pune municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar.
“We need to wait for the revised regulations issued by the state government in this regard and we will work accordingly,” he said.
Ashok Mohtage, a shop owner on Tilak road said, “During the countrywide lockdown, we have already suffered a huge loss in the business and now when we are restarting such rules are imposed on us.”
“Keeping shop open half of the month is not profitable for any of us. There are many expenses to shop owners like maintenance of shops, worker salaries, electricity bill and now additionally for the safety precautions to daily sanitise the shop, masks, gloves and sanitisers for workers and customers. So, our expenses have increased and only 15-day business will badly affect us,” he said.