On day 1 of 'unlock', buyers give Delhi and Mumbai markets a miss

Hope rides on durables to draw people back to trading hubs, high streets

Since the Delhi chief minister announced unlocking measures over the weekend, Bharat Ahuja has spent most of his time in and around his shop at Bhagirath Palace – one of the largest trading hubs for electrical goods in the country. Ahuja, who presides over the Delhi Electrical Traders’ Association (DETA), has recently recovered from Covid-19. But that has not stopped him from negotiating the congested lanes of Chandni Chowk in the walled city of Delhi since Sunday afternoon, overseeing the work to mark all business outlets in the area with odd-even signs.

It was a difficult task. With over 4,100 outlets