Trading activity resumes in Vijayawada city

Vijayawada: After a gap of two months, trading activity restored in many parts of Vijayawada city on Saturday with orders issued by the government to open shops from 7 am to 7 pm. Of the total 64 municipal divisions in the city, 30 are in the green zone, where there are no restrictions for doing business.

The Krishna district administration, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation and the trade associations are holding talks to change the orange zones into green zones where no Coronavirus positive cases were reported for 14 days.

Red zones can be changed into green zones if Corona positive cases not reported for 28 days. Earlier, permission was given in green zones to open shops for only three hours from 6 am to 9 am.

Vijayawada Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Konakalla Vidhyadhara Rao said the trade associations and Chamber is holding discussions with officials and trying to get permission to open the shops after changing from orange zone to green zones. Trading activity crippled in the city for two months due to Covid-19 lockdown and traders have lost thousands of crores rupees business. Salesmen and other staff in the showrooms and wholesale shops were also affected.

Now, the traders have to wait for some months to bounce back to business. Money circulation stalled in the city due to lockdown. More than two lakh workers in the unorganised sector lost income for two months. Hotels, shopping complexes, malls and other commercial establishments remained closed.

Purchasing power of lakhs of people drastically fallen in recent months due to economic slowdown followed by Covid-19 lockdown. These factors have crippled the trading activity in the city.

Scorching heat, falling purchasing power and stalling of circulation of money may adversely affect the business some more months. K Ramesh, a groceries trader in One-Town felt it will take at least 3-4 months to put the business on the right track. Fear of infecting with Coronavirus also will haunt the people some more months. Gold and jewellery shops, footwear, textile and cloth stores are not allowed to open till orders are issued by the government.

On Saturday, several thousand customers stormed the showrooms to purchase air-conditioners and air-coolers as the mercury levels reaching 45 degrees in the city.

P Ravi, manager of Sonovision showroom in Vijayawada, said hundreds of customers rushed to buy ACs and air coolers after reopening of showroom on Saturday.

He said the customers must wear mask and wash hands with sanitiser to enter the showroom. He said both customers and the staff are also taking measures to check the spread of virus and maintaining social distance.