Waiting for the COVID-19-caused lockdown to lift for over 60 days, the city's retailers seem to have come to the end of their tether, with most of them accepting that the virus is here to stay and that businesses must resume functioning. However, there are some, especially in the Containment Zones and heavily affected wards, who feel that it may not be a good idea.

The state's retail business will be finished for good if shops are not reopened by Monday," said Viren Shah, president, Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA), which has over 3.5 lakh shops from the state under its umbrella. "We have not paid staff in two months and haven't had business. The responsibility of the retail crash, if it happens, will lie on the Maharashtra government."