Ramzan Shopping Paradise Mominpura Counts Losses

Nagpur: Mominpura doesn't sleep during Ramzan as the markets turn euphoric with heavy footfall of customers round the clock seeking traditional kurta pyjamas, skull caps, ladies' adornments, decorative items, sewai, dry fruits, etc, for Eid.The final week of Ramzan is, however, bleak and silent in Mominpura this time as far as shopping is concerned. Though late on Saturday evening, the Nagpur police partially lifted the curfew allowing business movement between 7 pm and 10 pm, the sentiments continued to be sombre. Sellers are hard hit by the curfew imposed in the aftermath of the March 17 riots. Local as well as migrant sellers flock to Mominpura Jama Masjid Road to set up stalls, eyeing brisk business on the last few days of Ramzan. Many even rent shops for a month and bring stock on credit, hoping for good returns. The curfew left them dejected. A loss of Rs5 crore per day was estimated to be incurred by sellers in Mominpura. Aslam Belawala, a garment shop owner, said he suffered an estimated Rs3 lakh loss per day and the limited unlocking will not be good enough. "The fear perception is such that customers from nearby places like Sausar, Katol, Kalmeshwar, and Butibori are avoiding Mominpura," he said.Javed Ansari, a cloth merchant, said Mominpura hosts the biggest Eid bazaar not just in Nagpur but also in the entire Vidarbha. "Mominpura had nothing to do with the incident of rioting. The decision to impose a curfew here has affected entire Vidarbha buyers and sellers. Those who stocked up are at a loss now. Sellers of perishable goods like fruit and food products suffered huge losses," he said.Ansari said every year Hindus from Kirana Oli set up stalls on Jama Masjid Road by paying a premium. "But they are yet to get good returns," he said. He said Mominpura is a wholesale market for sewai and feni and many other items. "Retailers too come from different parts of Vidarbha to buy. But they are not coming now even though restrictions are being relaxed," he said.Social worker Ateeque Qureshi welcomed the move by police to finally ease the restrictions, though he too agreed that losses incurred by many sellers may not be recovered now. "Given the volatile situation, it is always good to get on with work and distract one's mind. If people are forced to stay jobless or at home the whole time, then the risk of them discussing unnecessary things increases. It would be even better if the administration opens the markets full-fledged and lets celebrations kick in," he said. |