Heeba Din & Uzma  Manzoor

Srinagar

Srinagar’s busy Sunday market came back to life this Sunday after two weeks of shutdown and curfew following the execution of Muhammad Afzal Guru. As per the estimates, Sunday market has lost Rs 1.92 crore for last two Sundays of strike.

As per the estimates, Sunday market has lost Rs 1.92 crore for last two Sundays of strike. Photo: Bilal Bhadur

“We have 1200 beds and each beds earns about minimum Rs 8,000 per Sunday,” confirmed Muhammad Yaqoob, one of the major stockers in market.  Earning, he said, is not turnover!

While the market was abuzz with customers both local as well as tourists, the losses of previous two weeks of shutdown has led to the hike in the prices of different commodities as well.

Sunday market has lately turned to be the mass puller. Be it branded stuff or any other commodity of global trademark, the market seems everything in offing. Global style brands like Nike, Lee, Woodlands etc are available in the market at an affordable prices. Besides the market also houses good collection of imitations and used commodities.

Shabir, a customer said, “Last time I visited here the prices weren’t so high, I think the vendors have increased the prices of the goods to meet their losses.”

The market remains in operation on Sundays from the Srinagar’s Tourist reception centre upto the Court road. Javaid Ahmad Rangreaz being in the business of selling winter wear from 25 years was agitated at the present situation which caused huge losses to his business. He said, “It’s the wearer who knows where the shoe pinches.”

Talking on the possibility of further strikes, he voiced his anger by saying, “Everyone is giving calls for shutdown nowadays and we have to follow them blindfolded.”

On the contrary, Farooq Ahmad, a shoe seller paints a different side of the story. Speaking about the losses, he said, “Losses are the collateral damage of the freedom movement, we have to bear them. I don’t even consider them a loss.”

On this cloudy Sunday when Muhammad Maqbool, a roadside vendor started his day’s work with a hope of doing good business after two weeks of shut down, the apprehension of future shutdowns also looms at the back of his mind. “The vendors are not only the loss bearers but a large number of people associated with us also suffer hugely, be the auto drivers, suppliers or the workers,” he said in a desperate tone.  Abdul Qayoom an auto driver also confirmed the same.

In the same buzzing market, Fayaz Ahmad has been selling books for past 10 years on Sunday market. His collection of books ranges from classical novels to cookery books, besides books on music.  He wants normalcy back in Kashmir so that he could run his business smoothly. “I have suffered a minimum loss of Rs 15000 in the wake of recent shutdowns. It’s the poorer section of the society which suffers the most due to these shutdowns,“ he said.

While many vendors choose to stay at their houses and bear the brunt of losses, Mohd Ishfaq also a vendor is planning to move to Jammu if the situation remains same.

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