Aurangabad, June 1:
Nearly 72 days after lockdown, all the shops in the markets were opened. Traders and their employees started the business with excitement. Consumers also flocked to the market to buy their necessities. Traders were also seen following covid rules.
Shops started opening at 7 am on the first day of unlock. Markets at Paithan Gate, Tilakpath, City Chowk, Aurangpura, Nirala Bazar, Osmanpura, Jalna Road, Hudco-Cidco, Garkheda and Jawahar Colony were open. The owners and staff performed puja and other rituals as shops were opened after several days. Excited traders greeted shoppers with a smile. Many traders celebrated the occasion by distributing sweets to all the employees of the shop. Customers also started rushing to the shop at 8 am. Rush increased after 10 am. Some shops were so crowded with shoppers that no social distancing norms were followed. There was an especially huge rush at cloth and electronics shops. The shops were so crowded that customers had to literally wait for half an hour to an hour in line. Shops in other areas had more or less customers.
Rush to buy mobile accessories
Mobile shops in Paithan Gate, Nirala Bazar, Connaught Place were crowded with customers. Vendors said consumers tend to repair older mobiles rather than buying new handsets.
Gold-silver price rise
The bullion market in the city has been completely closed for the last 72 days. Gold was priced at Rs 50,800 per kg and silver at Rs 73,000 per kg on Tuesday. Before the lockdown, gold was at Rs 45,000 and silver at Rs 62,000. However, there was a sparse crowd at shops in Sarafa Bazar, Jalna Road and Jawahar Colony. Customers who booked gold online on the occasion of Gudi Padwa and Akshay Tritiya were collecting the gold and silver jewellery today.