NEW DELHI: Reeling under mounting losses, traders have appealed to lieutenant governor Anil Baijal to further relax the timings for operation of shops.
In a letter to LG, who heads the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, the New Delhi Traders' Association has cited the easing of norms for restaurants and requested that shops be allowed to stay open till 9.30pm. "We have been receiving representations from shopkeepers that they be allowed to keep the establishments open till 9.30pm. The 8pm deadline requires traders to stop the business activity by 7pm,"the letter states.
Atul Bhargava, president of NDTA, said people preferred to shop mostly after office hours. "Restaurants have been allowed to open for an extended period, but no relaxation has been given to shops. This is despite the fact that even the curfew timings have been relaxed," he added. Ashok Randhawa of Sarojini Nagar Mini Market Association suggested that shops be opened at 11am instead of 10am and that extra hour be added at night. "Now that offices have reopened, it is morepractical to let markets stay open for longer."
