Team Herald

MARGAO: In view of the increasing number of COVID cases, the usual hustle and bustle in the State’s commercial capital has gone missing as since the past few days Margao has been wearing a deserted look.

Even the traffic movement, besides other commercial activities have reduced by 40 per cent as compared to the routine business.

The Margao markets are popular not only for fish, but for fruits and vegetables too besides the main grocery dealers located in the town. However, they have been hit hard on account of few consumers. According to vendors, the movement of people has been reduced in the last seven days. The hotel owners have also complained of receiving few customers.

Admitting to the less number of consumers visiting the market, Vinod Shirodkar, president of New Market Vendors’ Association said, “Yes, it has affected our daily business. We have observed that the wholesale markets of fruits and vegetables in the early morning hours are badly affected, as even local vendors have stopped coming”.

Grocery shop owner Chandru Shirodkar claimed that his customers have reduced to 60 percent, due to COVID fear.

“The deserted look on the busy roads in the commercial capital is something unusual for us. We can hardly witness such a situation except on Sundays or during the total lockdown which was imposed during the second COVID-19 wave “, he said.

Margao Traffic Cell PI Gautam Salunke too admitted that the traffic movement has reduced to a large extent in the past few days.

“The COVID cases are increasing daily and people are scared to move out of their houses. The unnecessary movement of the vehicles too has stopped”, he said.

At the moment, the rush of customers is seen only at the medical stores.