As another week starts with no Covid-19 relaxations from the civic body and the state government, city traders have threatened a protest and to vote out the Shiv Sena in the municipal elections to be held early next year. Sources from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, however, indicated that there may be some relaxation in timings next week.

The Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA) has claimed that 25 per cent of the shops are closed because of impractical business hours that do not facilitate paying huge overheads such as salaries and rent. In addition, local trains being off-limits means staff cannot travel to work. Customers, traders say, do not shop much in the morning or afternoon, affecting business.