Mumbai: The Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association has strongly objected to the police order with regard to movement within 2 km radius saying that it has adversely impacted the businesses of shops in the neighbourhood. Of the 3 lakh shops, only 1.5 lakh were able to function that too with low turnout of people and business in the city because of the extension of lockdown.
The association president Viren Shah has urged the state government to reconsider these curbs at the earliest. '' It is ironic that the curb on movement has benefitted the E Commerce companies while the shopkeepers are struggling to survive. What is the point in opening shops and asking the commuters to stay at home without moving out of the 2 km radius,'' he said.
Further, the federation has said that the retail shops business has been impacted adversely with these new restrictions. ''The business has reduced to 5%. It will be difficult for retail shopkeepers to pay salary to staff, GST, electricity bill and property tax. Even though the state govt had launched Mission Begin Again from June 3, with these new curbs there is no unlocking,'' he noted.
Shah informed that he had spoke to NCP chief Sharad Pawar and sought his intervention for the removal of restriction on movement within 2 km radius. Pawar has assured to talk to CM Uddhav Thackeray to convey our concerns,'' he said.
