Bashir Assad
Srinagar, Oct 14: With Eid-ul-Azha just one day away, markets across the valley are witnessing huge of shoppers for the occasion. In city centre Lal Chowk, the Eid rush is mounting with each passing hour, making movement of traffic cumbersome. People are seen crowded near garment, foot-wear and bakery shops.
Markets opened very early this morning and shoppers were busy in purchasing of both eatables as well as other goods.
Shoppers from different areas of rural Kashmir also thronged city malls, fashion houses, boutique shops, market places and kiosks across the city markets in huge numbers.
Kids flanked by their parents were seen purchasing toys, clothes, footwear and other items while special stalls, showcasing accoutrements like bangles, henna, cosmetics and artificial jewelry were crowded by shoppers.
In Lal Chowk, markets could be seen jam-packed with shoppers moving from one extreme of the market to another. Elsewhere in Poloview, Sarai Bala, Maharaj Bazaar, Koker Bazaar, and in old city, markets were abuzz with shopping activities.
Apart from conventional shopping, gift item and greeting cards were also seen selling like hot cakes in the valley that has off late tread on western life style. Fire-cracker sellers, in Mahraja Bazar here also did a brisk business, as children accompanied by parents bought them to have fun on the eve of Eid.
Reports of shopping rush was also received from all district headquarters including Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipoira, Budgam, Shopian, Anantnag and Kulgam. In view of the huge rush of people to markets, Traffic authorities have issued a traffic plan for city Centre to decongest the City Centre and to help in smooth regulation of traffic.
In some places complaints of over charging prices have been received from general public. Hoarders and profiteers are minting money from gullible citizens as prices of daily-use items have spiked.
Putting control on prices and check on hording, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Department claims it has constituted special squads for market checking
"Special squads constituting Municipality and Police officials are doing rounds of city markets. From last few days we collected a huge amount as fine from those shopkeepers who were resorting to hoarding and profiteering, and we will continue to keep a check on them. It is unfortunate that shopkeepers take advantage of the Eid rush for making few extra bucks," said a senior CAPD official. |
