Covid shadow over Rakhi shopping

Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 2

There were no queues of buyers at the leading sweets shops and visitors had no problem in finding space in parking lots which was unlikely this time around last year. The impact of Covid 19 was clearly evident on Raksha Bandhan shopping in the markets.

The markets such as Ghumar Mandi, Model Town, Ferozepur Road, where leading sweets shops are located, witnessed low footfall today.

Madhav, who works at a leading sweets shop in Ghumar Mandi, while screening every customer with a thermal scanner, said the fear of pandemic was a major reason for fewer visitors turning up for shopping.

“Secondly, many customers purchased things in advance as today was Sunday, a lockdown day. Though the administration has allowed the shops to remain open, yet a majority of buyers did not take chances and made purchases for Rakhi well in advance,” he said.

One of the salesmen at the Haqiqat sweets shop in Dandi Swami said they were distributing masks to their customers.

Adhering to the guidelines, visitors are screened for temperature and offered hand sanitiser before entering the shop. Social distancing is also maintained on the premises.

“It is not that we are forcing all to keep a distance. Buyers have become so aware that they themselves maintain distance to keep Covid at bay,” said Tejbir, a shopkeeper selling rakhis.

Jaswant Kaur, a senior citizen, said she was fed up with staying home, and today went out to visit her cousin in Model Town. “But there was no enthusiasm in the markets. My driver purchased sweets/fruits within five minutes and he didn’t have to struggle to find parking space either,” she added.