All shops in the main markets of East Delhi were open today despite the fact that the city’s market association had called for a bandh to protest against the MCD’s sealing drive.
A shop in Laxmi Nagar Market
With the city’s market association declaring a bandh today, shopkeepers and other small traders of East Delhi were unsure about opening their shops and establishments in the morning.
Trader associations are essentially protesting against the sealing drive that has been undertaken by all three Delhi Municipal Corporations (MCDs) across markets of Delhi including Khan Market, Connaught Place, Chandni Chowk and Gandhi Nagar Market.
In East Delhi, shops in the markets of Laxmi Nagar and Preet Vihar were open. However, shopkeepers were found discussing the protest.
When asked about the bandh, Rishabh Singh, a trader in Preet Vihar said, “We are against MCD’s sealing drive but protesting against it by closing shops is not the right strategy as it ultimately translates to our loss. However, if other shopkeepers shut their shops, then I too will join them.”
Dalveer Singh who owns three shops in Laxminagar Market said, “The sealing drive against illegal shops and illegal encroachment has mostly been conducted in North and South Delhi. Therefore markets are open in East Delhi. Sometimes people connected with political parties announce these bandh without consulting the genuine trader associations.”
