Kashmir markets reopen on eve of Eid amid COVID-19 concerns

Kashmir: Markets in Kashmir reopened on the eve of Eid after two weeks of coronavirus COVID-19 imposed restiction, to low footfall of customers. Markets in some parts of Srinagar, especially at Lal Chowk saw less rush of people as compared to shopping rush of previous times.

The Lal Chowk, Polo View and Hari Singh High Street and Residency Road markets were fully open but the footfall of customers was very low.

People mostly preferred to get things online and those who were seen in markets were seen mostly with their face covered. They all said that it’s a crucial time and we all should take precautions to save our lives. 

Fayaz Ahmad, a shopper said, “We should take full precautions agianst COVID 19, there is not much rush seen in market the Eid celebrations have been impacted, people have financial problems no work is happening. On Eid, we will pray so that God will forgive our sins and we will get rid of this illness.”

On the issue of following COVID-19 guidelines a student Muzaffar Ahmad Dar said, “We should take full precautions, we should stay at home and follow government guidelines, there is impact on Eid celebrations people are inside they are doing that kind of shopping, we will celebrate Eid simply and will follow government guidelines.” 

The shopkeepers were trying to follow all guidelines issued by the authorities. Messages were put up outside shops reading: “No entry without mask”. Many shops had kept hand sanitizers for use by the customers.

A shopkeeper Ashraf Wani said, “People are not shopping at that scale as earlier people are sacred and do not come out, people are suffering economically also earlier people who shopped for thousands now they spend just few hundred rupees.” He added that we follow all government guidelines use masks, sanitizers and maintain social distancing.

Beside many mini cattle markets were also seen in the Srinagar district where people were seen purchasing cattle’s for sacrifice. But there too people are buying less numbers of cattle than previous times. 

Mostly shoppers were seen at the bakery shops. However, bakers said they had prepared just 25 per cent of the bakery items in comparison to previous times. 

Restrictions were imposed in Kashmir mainly in Srinagar on July 13 after 88 containment zones were notified by the district administration. The restrictions intensified on July 22 after a spike in COVID-19 cases. Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 19,869 positive COVID cases and 365 deaths till now.