Delhi retailers welcome longer hours, aim to recoup losses with evening shopping

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Feb 28, 2022

Traders in Delhi have praised the Delhi Disaster Management Authority’s decision to permit markets in the area to open until late, hoping the move will enable them to reach more shoppers and recover from the effects of the pandemic. 

Many of Delhi’s market traders experienced a slow spring wedding season as numerous retail restrictions designed to slow the spread of Covid-19 remained. However, with new, later operating hours, many business owners are hoping the remaining auspicious dates in March will prove fruitful with later opening times, ET Bureau reported. 
 
“We have been closing the markets at 8pm for the last two years,” said the Mini Market Traders’ Association Sarojini Nagar president Ashok Randhawa, TNN reported. “We were demanding a relaxation in the norms as the Covid-19 situation had improved. We have been incurring heavy losses due to early closing of shops. That’s why we had written to the LG, DDMA and Delhi government for extending the timings.”

Rising temperatures and a return to office work have also made evening and night shopping more appealing to many of Delhi’s residents, according to traders. Opening markets retailing everything from clothing to personal care goods and food into the night will give traders a new window in which to generate revenue, something they desperately need in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
“We are yet to receive a copy of DDMA’s order, but sources tell us that markets will be allowed to operate till late from Monday, which will definitely give relief to thousands of traders,” said New Delhi Traders’ Association president Atul Bhargava, TNN reported. “There will be no night curfew. We are thankful to the LG and DDMA for this decision.”