New Delhi: The small vendors and traders in the busy INA market in South Delhi are having a tough phase as they had shut their shops after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown.
As the COVID-19 outbreak is rapidly spreading across the nation, major markets in the national capital have put down their shutters.
The complete shutdown has hit the daily wage and small vendors in the markets.
INA, a familiar market which houses 275 small and big shops, on Wednesday wore a deserted look as 90% of shops' shutters were closed.
Only a few vegetable shops, pharmacies and a small number of eateries with only take away option were seen functioning in the INA market.
"Though Khan Market, Sarojini Market are famous in Delhi, INA is familiar among middle-class people. Atleast 50000 people would visit INA market. But, now the scene is different as footfall has completely declined due to the complete shutdown," N Akash, a vegetable seller at INA told ETV Bharat.
INA is famous for night eateries, fruit stalls, organic edibles and cloth stores.
S Jawahar who is working as a waiter in a South Indian hotel said that almost all of his colleagues have returned to their native places because of the lockdown.
"When PM announced the Janata Curfew on Sunday, many of my friends have returned to their native places. Now we have restricted ourselves in our rooms. Many of the people working in INA market are daily wage workers, we are running out of cash," he said.
Surendar, a fancy store owner said that he has closed his shop on Saturday and it is very hard to pass days like this.
"As many of the investments in my shops were made by loan, I have to pay EMI and interest. I have no income now. I am clueless on how to pay my bills and EMI's. Government should come out with a solution for people like me. They should release assistance for us to fight this virus," Surendar said.
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