Gujarat: Traders impose voluntary lockdown in Sabarkantha, Rajkot

All traders in Khedbrahma town

of Sabarkantha and the main grain market at Rajkot in Gujarat have decided to enforce a week-long stringent lockdown in the wake of a spike in COVID-19 cases, officials said on Monday.

Following the decision taken by shopkeepers, all markets in Khedbrahma town wore a deserted look on Monday.

On the same lines, Rajkot city's main grain market, which has over 200 shops, started a week-long partial lockdown wherein shops will remain closed after 3 pm, Rajkot Grain Market Association president Bipin Kesaria said.

Khedbrahma municipality's vice-president Jignesh Joshi said they held a meeting with shopkeepers and decided to go for a week-long total lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus.

"All the markets and shops in the town will remain shut till September 21," he said.

As per a government release issued on Sunday, Sabarkantha reported 13 new COVID-19 cases in last 24 hours.

Khedbrahma shopkeepers' association president Hasmukh Raval said, "Till now, 20 shopkeepers in the town have contracted the infection and they are currently undergoing treatment. Thus, we agreed to the civic body's proposal to impose a complete lockdown till September 21. This should help in stopping human-to-human transmission of the virus."

In Rajkot city of Saurashtra region, shopkeepers in the grain market decided to go for a partial shutdown from Monday in view of the rise in number of COVID-19 cases.

This comes days after Soni Bazaar, the city's jewellery market, went for a total lockdown.

As per the state government release on Sunday, 99 new cases coronavirus were reported in Rajkot city in 24 hours.

"Till now, two shopkeepers in the grain market have died due to coronavirus. We have observed that customers flock this market, having around 210 grain shops, in the evening. This is a huge concern for us in view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases," Kesaria said.

Thus, all shopkeepers of this market have voluntarily decided to keep their outlets shut after 3 pm every day till September 21, he said.

Earlier, the city's jewellery market, having around 800 shops, imposed a week-long lockdown from September 12.