Bhopal markets to reopen today, in phased manner

BHOPAL: After more than two months under lockdown, Bhopal markets are abuzz with activity as the district administration has allowed phased opening of the markets from Wednesday.

Bhopal district collector, Tarun Pithode, on Tuesday amended his earlier order issued under section 144 of the CrPC, thereby allowing opening of shops in New Bhopal, Old Bhopal and Bairagarh township in a staggered manner.
According to the amended order, retail clothes/footwear/stationery shops in New Bhopal will open from 11.00 am to 5.00 pm on Monday and Thursday. Electronic, electrical,hardware, mobile shops will open on Tuesday and Friday while jewellery/cosmetics/sarafa market will open on Wednesday and Saturday.
Govt, private offices to open with 50% attendance
Grocery, vehicle repair/ spare parts shops will remain open on all days of the week from 7.00 am to 7.00 pm while medical shops can remain open all the time.
In the old city, retail readymade/hosiery/electronic/ clothes shops will remain open from 11.00 am to 5.00 pm on Monday and Thursday, sarafa/ wholesale readymade/ hosiery/cosmetics, footwear on Tuesday and Friday and saree/ suiting shirting, wholesale cosmetics, stationery and electronic on Wednesday and Saturday from 11.00 am to 5.00 pm.
In Bairagarh, markets will remain open on all days of the week except Tuesday and Saturday. Sunday markets will remain closed in new and old city.
Government and private offices will open with 50% staff strength, optical shops can open and chicken/fish/meat shops can also open for home delivery.
The lockdown will continue in the city and borders of the district will remain sealed and 7.00 pm to 7.00 am curfew will remain in force, clarified the order. Earlier, district collector, Tarun Pithode, held a meeting with representatives of traders on Tuesday morning to elicit their views on how the markets in the city should be opened up.
Santosh Agarwal of Bhopal Traders' Association, who participated in the meeting, told TOI that traders were in favour of opening up of market in one go rather than opening shops "sector-wise" (two days a week) as proposed by the district crisis management group.
“We have already suffered huge losses. Unless all the shops in market open, people will not start coming into the market,” said Agrawal. He said that the collector told them to ensure social distancing and other norms because if the cases of Coronavirus increase following opening of markets, they will have to be closed again. However, the district administration stuck to its decision not to let the entire market operate on all days of the week except for Sunday and allow a specific cluster of shops to operate two days a week.