Shop owners say current timings are leaving them with huge losses, making it difficult to pay rent and the staff’s salary; also urge CM Thackeray to reconsider govt’s decision of putting entire state under Level 3
People outside a shop at Dadar market. File pic/Shadab Khan
The shop owners’ association wants the state government to extend the closing time for non-essential businesses for the sake of both their employees and also the economy. This will also give them a chance to compete with the e-commerce industry, which currently has complete leeway.
The state government on Friday announced that all the districts should follow Level 3 restrictions, which means shops can remain open from Monday only till 4 pm. This did not sit well with the retailers, who say the restrictions are leading to heavy losses, making it difficult to manage the staff’s salaries and pay rent.
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Reconsider curbs
Traders said while Delhi reopened malls, shops, theatre with 50 per cent capacity, restaurants and banquet hall with 50-people capacity, Maharashtra has chosen to go back to Level 3, dealing a massive blow to businesses. They have urged Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to reconsider the restrictions.
A woman buys a kids’ tricycle at Kurla. File pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA) President Viren Shah has written to the authorities to push the closing time of non-essential businesses to 8 pm, for the sake of economic revival.
‘We can open late’
Traders are ready to open late, at 11 am instead of 7 am. “We are fine if non-essential shops open from 11 am to 8 pm across Maharashtra, as this will be a level playing field to compete with e-commerce platforms which have no limitations on timings. Why should only we suffer?” asked Shah.
Reiterating what the industry has been saying for a long time, Shah said most non-essential shops do business around noon and in the evening, so it makes sense to delay the closing hours.
“If our shops are open till 8 pm, there will be enough business to pay rent, salary and even overheads. We only request a few extra few hours in the evening for practical purposes. We urge the state’s Covid-19 task force and various disaster committees to discuss our proposal and help the revival of small businesses with a solution.”
7 am-4 pm
The current opening hours of non-essential businesses
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