Hard Cash Day 11: Low footfall at this year's trade fair
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Hard Cash Day 11: Low footfall at this year's trade fair

Those who set up stalls every year say sales have dropped by half.

Hard Cash Day 11: Low footfall at this year's trade fair

This year's India International Trade Fair, or IITF, at Pragati Maidan has hardly witnessed any footfall in its first week. The trade fair, organised by India Trade Promotional Organisation (ITPO), is held from November 14 to November 30 every year. "There are hardly anyone coming to the trade far," said an ITPO official, who wasn't willing to disclose his name. "The discontinued notes should have been allowed here."

"In the earlier trade fairs, I used to make sales of at least Rs 10,000 a day," said Naresh Sharma, who sets up an ice-cream shop at the trade fair. "Sales have gone down by half this year."

"This year, ITPO had increased the entry fee from Rs 80 to Rs 120," said Sanjay Vashist, director of press of ITPO. "However, observing the low footfall, fee on weekdays was reduced to Rs 50 and that on weekends to Rs 100." The entry fee for children up to 12 years and senior citizens is free from November 19.

ITPO has also set up as many as 18 ATMs in the trade fair area. But most ATMs are out of cash and those with cash had long queues outside them. There was even a mobile Punjab National Bank outlet allowing senior citizens to exchange notes on November 19. Pradeep Sharma, an employee at the bank, said, “We are operating as per RBI guidelines and today only senior citizens are allowed to exchange money.” 

A major relief for people, however, was that most food stalls were accepting payments through Paytm.