Vendors at Amritsar railway station count losses

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 21

Vendors at the railway station have been counting losses since the introduction of the Covid-19 lockdown on March 23, 2020. On the other hand, hoteliers resent the ‘rail roko’ blockade, causing a dent in the footfall of tourists in the peak season.

Once again commercial establishments at the Amritsar railway station have started experiencing lean season. This time they are facing losses due to the farmers’ blockade on railway tracks. Already a limited number of trains were being operated offering them limited business opportunity. In this scenario, they are seeking relaxation in the annual licence fee.

Seeking anonymity they said all commercial establishments at the station had remained shut for the past nearly 10 months in 2020. Earlier, it was due to the Covid-induced lockdown and later, travel restrictions were imposed to ensure social distancing and then the farmers’ railway blockade took place which hit their income badly.

Members of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) had lifted its 169-day rail traffic blockade on March 11. As if it was not enough, the second wave of Covid-19 struck prompting the state government to put restrictions in early summer. It took months for the train services to resume.

All these reasons combine aggravated the financial losses to vendors carrying out their businesses at the railway station. They rued each vendor pays a monthly rent between a minimum of Rs 15,000 to a maximum of Rs 20,000 to the railways and 18 percent GST over it. Apart from this, their other standing expenditure include Rs 10.84 per unit commercial power tariff, salaries to sales man, maintainance charges and others.

Hoteliers say sudden stoppage of trains had discontinued arrival of long destination tourists to the city. They said they had been waiting for the winter season which records peak during the holidays in the educational institutes starting from December 21. When approached, Chetan Taneja, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Northern Railway’s Ferozepur division, said the plea of vendors for relaxation in the annual fee would be considered.

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