Migrant exodus hits scooter market sales

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 25

Shopkeepers of the local scooter market have been badly hit as sales have come down by about 80 per cent amid the Covid crisis. These shopkeepers deal in second-hand two-wheelers. It is one of the biggest scooter markets in the state.

The shopkeepers said not even a single customer visited the market these days. Earlier, a large number of buyers, including migrants, would come to the scooter market located near Bhai Chatar Singh Park for purchasing second-hand bikes/scooters.

Several shopkeepers or salesmen were seen sitting outside their shops waiting for customers today. Many shopkeepers have invested lakhs of rupees in the business.

“Nowadays, no customer is coming to the market. Before the Covid crisis, customers from all over the state visited this market. Many migrants purchased second-hand scooters or bikes from here. With most migrants going back to their home states, there is a sharp decrease in footfall here,” he said.

“The months of March and April were earlier considered as the period of peak sale in this market. We have incurred losses this time as the market had remained closed for almost two months due to curfew/lockdown. There are more than 50 shops in the market. A majority of owners make no sale at all these days,” said Satinderpal Singh, president of Scooter Sellers’ Association.

A few shopkeepers said they were unable to recover dues from a number of old customers who are “not reachable” as of now. “We don’t know when the situation will improve in this one of the biggest scooter markets in the state,” said a shopkeeper.

Darshan Singh, another shopkeeper, said: “The business has been badly hit due to the Covid crisis. There is no customer in the market. It has become difficult to pay salaries to the salesmen and mechanics working at our shop. It may take one year or more for the situation to improve in this market.”