Odd-even opening for shops to be tough: Traders
nNEW DELHI: After a nearly twomonth hiatus, Delhi markets will open for business Tuesday, based on the odd-even formula devised by the Delhi government to ensure social distancing norms.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced that shops in the city will reopen with odd-even formula except those selling essential items — including books and stationery shops, electrical goods shops selling fan etc, in markets and market complexes — which will remain open on all days.
The odd-even scheme for shops is similar to the road rationing measure, taken up during peak pollution season, under which private vehicles with registration numbers ending with an odd digit is allowed on roads on odd dates and those with an even digit on even dates.
The idea remains the same for shops -- even-numbered shops open on even numbered days and odd-numbered shops on odd dates.
But traders were apprehensive about the scheme.
Market associations held meetings on Monday to chalk out the plan with help from the local police.
Almost all markets such as Connaught Place, Sarojini Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Greater Kailash-i, Kamala Nagar Market, among others, have decided to reopen shops from Tuesday.
But the Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal said they will keep the heritage market shut till May 31. Parts of Sadar Bazar market is also likely to remain shut due to its proximity to containment zones in the area. Traders here said that there was no clarity as to which shops can open here.
“We have voluntarily decided to remain shut till May 31. The government has announced relaxations without declaring red, orange and green zones, which should have been done first. The number of cases are on a rise and our area is close to a containment zone,” said Sanjay Bhargava, president, Sarva Vyapar Mandal, which has around 800 shops on the main road.
Traders from Karol Bagh market association appeared divided over opening of shops and said a decision is likely in a day or two.
While majority of markets have agreed to open, market associations expressed apprehension about the implementation of oddeven scheme.
“We have decided to open shops as per government order, but implementing the odd-even scheme is not practical,” said Sanjiv Mehra, president of Khan Market Traders Association.
He added, “There are twothree shops registered under one number (for example, 1, 1A and 1B). How will we decide which shop to open and which one to close? We will take up the matter with the government.”
The problem was the same in Kamala Market and at Greater Kailash.
“There is no clarity on how it will be implemented as there are two-three shops in one property on different levels,” said Naresh
Sambher, president, Kamala Nagar market.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Monday urged the Delhi government to reconsider the odd-even scheme and provide an alternative. “The oddeven concept will not work smoothly for business operations. Traders are interdependent for procurement of goods. The government should come up with an alternate scheme,” said Praveen Khandelwal, secretary general, CAIT.
For industrial area, the government has proposed staggered timing. Ashish Garg, secretary of Narela Industrial Complex Welfare association, “The working hours are anyway restricted from 7am to 7pm. Staggered timing will only further bring down the number of hours of work.”
Elaborating on staggered business hours for “industrial establishments”, the order said: “Industrial firms whose name starts with M/S A to M/S L may function from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm, whereas firms whose registered name starts with M/S M to M/S Z may function from 8.30 am to 6.30 pm.”