News: Business window reopens for shops-24-05-2021
Business window reopens for shops
Chandigarh/Gurgaon: The Haryana government on Sunday extended Covid-related restrictions by another week up to May 31, but some relaxations have been provided with immediate effect, including to standalone shops, which can open during the day Monday onwards.The order, issued by chief secretary Vijay Vardhan, will remain in force till 5am on May 31. While restrictions on opening of malls will continue, shops other than standalone ones will be allowed to operate from 7 am till noon in two groups of odd and even — shops with odd numbers on odd dates and those with even numbers on even dates.
Liquor vends that are standalone can also open during the non-curfew hours. However, the excise and taxation department has clarified that vends operating from markets shall have to follow the odd-even rule. Vends have also been given additional 19 days in the current financial year on the account of loss suffered during the lockdown. “We had made the provision in the excise policy for this year. As per the policy, the financial year was supposed to start from May. Now, the licensees will get an additional time,” said Anurag Rastogi, ACS (excise and taxation), Haryana.
In places where shops are in clusters but not numbered, a left and right rule will be followed. Gurgaon deputy commissioner Yash Garg said, “As at times it becomes difficult to identify or mark shops in some congested, semi-urban or rural areas, such shops other than standalone shops have been divided into two groups. The shops on the right side of the road are allowed to open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and shops on the left side of the road are allowed to open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays,” said Garg.
For ease of identification of shops to be opened, the right and left side will be determined ‘by facing the north or east (as the case may be)’, according to the order. “Joint commissioners of respective zones of MCG will be responsible for enforcement of these instructions and they shall be assisted by executive magistrates and SHOs of the concerned area,” Garg said.
Manoj Kumar, president of Sushant Arcade Welfare Association, said, “This is a welcome step by the government considering that everything has come to halt, which has negatively affected economic activities. There are around 954 shops in our market complex and it is wise to allow some commercial activity along with essential services as the shopkeepers are facing huge losses due to the shutdown of over three weeks now”.
He said at the moment, even opening shops on odd-even dates will provide some relief. “We have to pay electricity bills based on average consumption without even opening our shop, causing losses to the association and shopkeepers,” Kumar added.
Another market association demanded a change in the permitted business window, pointing out that most shops open only around 10am. “In my personal view, the lockdown should be extended for another week without any relaxation. But since there is a relaxation, we will implement the rules and shops will be open in an odd-even manner. However, the timing needs to be revised as most shops will get barely 2-3 hours for business and that won’t help,” said Ajay Pal, joint secretary, Vyapar Kendra Market Association.
At present, night curfew hours are from 10pm-5am. As Covid cases rose, the government tightened restrictions by ordering non-essential shops to be closed from 6pm in an order issued on April 23. It was not clear from Sunday’s order whether standalone shops can remain open till 6pm or 10pm.
