Noida, Ghaziabad traders welcome plan for markets

GHAZIABAD/NOIDA: The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday announced all markets in the state would be allowed to open from Monday to Friday and will remain shut on weekends .

However, traders in Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar on Sunday expressed their apprehensions over the implementation of the new order in the two NCR districts of UP. Markets in both the districts are presently operating on alternate days.

Awanish Awasthi, UP’s additional chief secretary (home), said economic activity will not be hampered during the weekend.

Pradeep Gupta, convener of Vyapari Ekta Samiti, Indirapuram, said, “Although the government has given directions for opening markets on five days, we still have apprehension that local authorities may continue with the alternate day opening of markets. In case this continues, a set of markets which were scheduled to open on Saturdays will face major issues. Already, the traders are incurring losses due to restricted three-day opening.”

“If the district authorities fully implement the government directions, it will bring relief to traders and shop owners. Fiveday opening and 9am to 9pm timing will help traders run their businesses properly. So, we are waiting for directions from local authorities,” Gupta said.

“In the current system, we are open for three days a week. But five-day a week will definitely be an improvement. The timings of opening markets will be a critical factor in helping standalone businesses,” said Sushil Kumar Jain, president, Sector 18 market association in Noida. Suhas LY, GB Nagar district magistrate, said he will wait for the orders from the state government and take a call accordingly. Ajay Shankar Pandey, Ghaziabad DM, said, “The Ghaziabad administration is waiting for the government order about opening of markets. Once we receive it, we will be implementing the directions.”