NOIDA: With Laxmi Nagar and other markets in Delhi being shut down due to increasing crowds, Atta market association in Noida has asked the administration to ensure strict enforcement or it would soon emerge as a Covid hotspot.
Shop owners have asked the authority to control the number of unauthorised vendors in and around Atta market. Some other areas such as the weekly vegetable markets in Sadarpur, Barola, Bhangel and Shhadra are also seeing an increased footfall.
CB Jha, president of Atta market association, said, “It has hardly been a week since the market opened and we are already seeing a large crowd. People are thronging street vendors and several food stalls. We have asked the authorities to regulate the crowd and ensure proper masking otherwise Atta market will be the next hotspot for the city.”
He added that there are 330 street vendors authorised by the Noida Authority.
However, there are around 700 other vendors who line up around Atta Market till Naya Gaon. Shop owners have informed the police and authority about crowding by these vendors but not much has been done to remove them, they said.
Officials said that announcements are being done and police are penalising people for not wearing masks. However, if the crowd in markets continues, shutting down markets may be required in Noida as well.
District magistrate Suhas LY said, “We have all options open for controlling the crowd and we may have to take strict action if people do not self-regulate. We hope that people take corrective action as Covid-appropriate behaviour is still required and essential.”
Meanwhile, citing losses, the market association of Sector 18 appealed to the state government to consider opening of markets during the weekends too. “Restricting parking around Sector 18 is another reason why there are no customers here. There is no such norm for any other market in Noida. We will take this up with the administration,” said SK Jain, president of Sector 18 market association.
