On Wednesday, July 28, the Retailers Association of India (RAI) in Maharashtra urged the state government to allow them to operate with necessary safeguards.
It also said that prolonged closures of malls in the state due to restrictions imposed in the wake of coronavirus have impacted around 2 lakh jobs.
RAI in its statement stated that the closure has put the entire ecosystem that depends on the malls in serious jeopardy. The shutdown is not only hurting businesses but also the livelihoods of people working there. Malls support several livelihoods, including those of vendors, retailers and employees, the association added.
"The pandemic-induced lockdown has impacted the estimated 50 malls in Maharashtra that employ more than two lakh people, generate a business of (around) INR 40,000 crores and contribute INR 4,000 crores in GST, per month," the retailers' body was quoted as saying by PTI.
Also Read: COVID-19 restrictions in Maharashtra: "Lockdown extension is not acceptable at any cost," says FAM
RAI further said, it has also affected all the businesses associated with malls. On average, a mall has 200 retail stores operating in it and over 5,000 business entities associated with it as suppliers and vendors. Restarting malls will help ensure the survival of this ecosystem.
Moreover, malls have the ability to handle crowds more efficiently and safely than markets and hence should be allowed to operate along with standalone shops and markets, RAI CEO asserted.
Currently, Maharashtra is observing Level 3 restrictions, which were imposed after a sharp surge in the coronavirus cases in the second wave.
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