Markets, roads wear deserted look as tension on border affects normal life

Tension on the India-Pakistan border has affected normal business as customers are missing from bazaars, preferring instead to remain inside four walls of their houses. The rates of vegetables and fruits have gone up. Roads and bazaars in Tarn Taran town are a witness to the situation. The main road heading from Chabal-Amritsar bypass to the T-Point on the Sarhali road often witnessed traffic jams the whole day due to the construction of an overbridge on the bypass near Kakka Kandiala village. Now, the movement of the traffic has eased as few vehicles are seen on this stretch.

Kanwaljit Singh, proprietor of Modern Shoes in local Tehsil Bazaar, said tension prevailing on the border, had badly affected their business as customers were not venturing out of their houses. He said no customer came to his shop till 3 pm in the afternoon on Thursday. He said bazaars of the town, which remained overcrowded during working hours, wore a deserted look.

On the main road, where traffic is controlled by the police, very few vehicles are seen. Anish Narula, a cloth merchant and owner of "Romesh Di Hatti" at Adda Bazaar, said on May 7, more than 75 per cent of shopkeepers failed to entertain even a single customer throughout the day. Shopkeepers said shoe and cloth stores and jewellery shops were the worst affected in terms of business.

The price of onions and garlic have gone up by 50 per cent. Townships like Chabal, Gandiwind, Bhikhiwind, Khalra, Khemkaran, Valtoha, Harike, Chohla Sahib, Khadoor Sahib and other parts of the district too are witnessing an adverse effect on businesses. Uncertainty prevails as people in the border areas are gripped by terror.