Early Times Report
Srinagar, Dec 29: With cold wave further intensifying across Kashmir valley, the famous weekly 'Sunday market' in the heart of the summer capital, Srinagar, is abuzz with customers busy purchasing warms clothes.
Hundreds of vendors have put up stalls on the 3-km-long road stretch from Radio Kashmir to Hari Singh High Street (HSHS) via Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, attracting huge rush of customers.
Braving chilly weather conditions, customers, who have come from different parts of the valley, could be seen buying warm clothes, blankets, besides other household items. The market is famous and attracts a huge crowd as the goods, including foreign items, are sold at economical rates.
''The number of customers from last couple of weeks has witnessed an overwhelming increase due to availability of public transport. Now people from different parts of the valley come to this market and purchase goods according to their requirements,'' a vendor, selling jackets.
He said everyone in the market is doing a good business and hoped for the situation to remain peaceful so that they can earn their livelihood with dignity and honour.
A customer Niyaz Ahmad, a resident of central Kashmir district of Ganderbal, said he had come to purchase warm clothes for his family. ''Sunday market is the best option as good quality goods are sold with economic rates. People have no option but to make purchases of good, particularly warm cloths, as the chilly is further intensifying,'' he added.
Ahmad said he used to avail benefits of discounts and offers by making purchase online on e-commerce sites. But, Ahmad said that as there was a gag on internet, including broadband services, since August 5, he was unable to make purchase online.
''The advantage of making purchases online is that you get to avail discount and offers, get to chose from a huge collection and that too from the comfort of your home. But, as there is no internet, we have no option but the make purchases from the market. Making purchase from a shopping mall or a retail shop is somewhat out of my budget,'' he added.
The famous weekly market usually attracted thousands of customers from different parts of the valley.
Business worth crores of rupees was done every week in the market in which goods, ranging from a hairpin to carpets, are sold on economical rates.
But, the weekly market was badly affected for about 10 weeks since August 5, when the Centre abrogated Article 370 and Article 35 A. Even though the market reopened in the first week of October, it started to regain its normal business only in the last week of November. |
