HYDERABAD: The bandh called by the Telangana Joint Action Committee could not take away the sheen of Ramzan shopping in the narrow bylanes of the Old City. Though customers from other parts of the city chose to stay put, the big crowd thronging shops did not betray anything amiss in the festive atmosphere.“Our business usually picks up after 5 p.m when people break their fast. Yet during a shutdown, more than 40 per cent business is affected. People coming to the city from places like Mahboobnagar and Karimnagar shop at Charminar and round up the day by eating haleem at Pista House. These customers stay away during bandhs,” says MA Majeed, owner of Pista House. Despite the reduced business, a queue started forming outside the parcel counter nearly two hours in advance. Small traders voiced similar concerns on bandhs affecting business during Ramzan. Santosh G, an attendant at Golden Bangles in the Lad Bazar area, the hub of shopping, said the shutdowns had greater impact on small traders. “Close to 25 per cent of our business comes from people living in other parts of the city. Due to lack of public transport, they don’t venture out during bandhs. We are ready to sell at low margins but if the volume of business is affected, how can we carry on?” he observes.On Monday, a representation to the Chief Minister by Muslim religious leader Moulana SS Asrar Hussain Razvi al-Madani, president of Markazi Mashaiq and Ulema Forum, urged him to control frequent bandhs during the holy month. He said close to 90 per cent businesses suffer, irrespective of the faith they belong to. “We want people to celebrate Ramzan. It is a service to humanity and God on our part as we don’t want people to suffer,” said the Moulana. He added that markets in Abids, Koti, Sultan Bazar, Siddiamber Bazar and Mehdipatnam face the most losses during a shutdown.As Ramzan has just begun, traders are hopeful of sales picking up in time. Maqbool Ahmed, general secretary, Shahran Market Association said, “About 25 to 30 per cent of our business is hurt every time there is a bandh but we hope to make up in the next few days. In Charminar, life goes on.”
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