Field Ganj area markets await customers’ return

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 1

Amid the Covid-19 crisis, business has been badly hit at markets in the Field Ganj area. The markets, usually thronged by customers, house many stores of garments, machine tools and wholesale.

We are losing customer base

We have witnessed a big fall in customer base. We have installed sanitiser dispensers outside our shop and also kept bottles inside. — Sonu, a shopkeeper

The shopkeepers here claimed that there was a 50 per cent dip in sales during the lockdown period. Earlier, a large number of people used to visit the shops but now the situation is completely otherwise, they said.

Gurpal Singh Grewal, president, Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib Road Market Association, Field Ganj, said, “There are mostly shops related to machinery products and garments on Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib Road. I deal in machinery products. Nowadays, a very few customers are visiting the market. There is a 50 per cent decline in sale of machinery products. Besides, there is a big dip in number of customers at cloth stores in the market. Due to Covid-19 scare, customers are reluctant and avoiding shopping these days.”

Sonu, a shopkeeper, said, “We have witnessed a big fall in customer base. We wish that the spread of virus should be controlled at the earliest so that everything becomes normal. We are following all precautions as per the guidelines of the government. We have installed sanitiser dispenser machines outside our shop and also kept sanitiser bottles inside the shop. No customer without mask is allowed to enter the shop.”

Sukhwinder Singh Babbu, president, Dukhniwaran Wholesale Market Association, Field Ganj, said, “The sales have been badly hit. A few customers are visiting the market now. Manufacturing has dipped as migrants have returned back to their homes due to which there is a demand supply imbalance. There is a severe labour crunch and the government should make necessary arrangements to bring migrant labourers back. The factories should be made fully operational and supply of manufactured products be ensured in the market.”