Srinagar: The famous Sunday market in the heart of the summer capital, Srinagar, was closed following 34-hour-long ‘corona curfew’ implemented by administration amid unabated rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the Union Territory of J&K.
All the roads and market places, including Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, Srinagar, have been sealed with authorities seeking cooperation from the public to curtail the spread of COVID-19 by strictly adhering to the 34-hour-long curfew.
Hundreds of vendors used to sell different items, including sweaters and other warm clothes, blankets, utensils, shawls and carpets, in the market. The 3-km-long Sunday market from Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) to Hari Singh High Street (HSHS), including Lal Chowk was deserted as vendors were not allowed to put up their stalls in the market in the city.
With just few weeks left of Eid-ul-Fitr, the market used to attract thousands of customers from different parts of the Valley. Business worth crores of rupees was done every week in the market in which goods, ranging from a hairpin to carpets, were sold on economical rates.
The COVID-19 cases have risen unabated in Kashmir valley, particularly the summer capital, Srinagar, which has recorded the major chunk of positive cases during the last about a fortnight. As many as 2030 new positive cases of novel Corona virus, including 834 from Jammu division and 1196 from Kashmir division, were reported on Saturday. Fifteen people, including eight from Kashmir and seven from Jammu, lost their lives to the virus on Saturday.
Last year, the Sunday market remained closed for over eight months in view of COVID induced lockdown.
