Chandigarh traders hail move, say step in right direction

Chandigarh, May 31

The Chandigarh Beopar Mandal has welcomed the decision of the UT Administration to increase the timings of shops dealing in non-essential goods by an hour and limited opening of barber shops and salons.

Charanjiv Singh, president of the mandal, said they had demanded shopping hours from 9 am to 5 pm for all shops till the lockdown was in place, but an increase of one hour was also a step in the right direction.

Diwakar Sahoonja, a spokesperson for the mandal, said they were hopeful of early steps by the government towards their pending demands such as priority vaccination of staff, management and families of shopkeepers, financial assistance, self-assessment of pending taxation cases and making need-based changes in the building bylaws of commercial properties to give a boost to commerce in the state.

Kamaljit Singh Panchhi, president, Chandigarh Traders Association, Sector 17, said they hoped that Administrator VP Singh Badnore would accept their request for 9 am-5 pm timings for all shops soon. — TNS