Mysore/Mysuru: Though essential commodities and services have been kept out of the weekend curfew driven by COVID pandemic, provision stores, ration shops and other shops selling essential commodities, are a disappointed lot as customers failed to turn up yesterday as expected during the curfew period.

Essential commodities shops and provision shops located in Central Business District, Mandi and Vanivilas markets as well as those in localities reported poor business on the first day of the weekend curfew on Saturday (Jan. 8) as only a few customers turned up, much to the disappointment of owners.

Devaraja Market, in the heart of the city, has  822 shops that are rented out on monthly basis and 250 other shops rented out on daily rent basis and most of the shops sell essential commodities like food grains, fruits, vegetables and other articles of daily use. But many of these shops did poor business on Saturday as customers failed to turn up on expected lines, especially when Sankranti, the first major festival in the new year, just a week away.

Barring medical shops, bakeries and sweet shops, a majority of the shops in the outer portion of Devaraja Market reportedly shut down a couple of hours after they opened, for want of customers.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Devaraja Market Tenants Association President S. Mahadev questioned what purpose would serve if shops are allowed to open and severe restrictions are imposed on movement of people.

Wondering how there will be good business for shops if people do not venture out of homes due to COVID-induced curfew, Mahadev opined that the authorities should have relaxed the curfew for a few hours so that people could do shopping.

R.S. Naveen Kumar, a Devaraja Market vendor, said according to his knowledge, vegetable vendors hardly did 10 percent of their usual business on Saturday. The vendors long wait for customers proved futile as very few people visited the Market due to curfew restrictions, he maintained.

Essential shops in other parts of Central Business District such as D. Devaraj Urs Road, Vinoba Road, Santhepet etc., too reported low business due to the curfew effect.

Hotel, Tourism severely hit

The Hotel and Tourism in the city and district too was severely hit, as hardly a few tourists visited Mysuru during this weekend after the Government announced weekend curfew to check the spread of Coronavirus.

The Hotel, Hospitality and Tourism Industry business, which was slowly crawling back to pre-COVID level post the COVID pandemic, is once again in the doldrums as weekend curfew returned following the sudden spurt in Corona cases late last year and in the first week of the new year. The curfew and other COVID restrictions has pushed the Hotel and Tourism industry to further hardship.

The loss of business will also have a considerable impact on the economy as Mysuru is famous for its Hotel and Tourism Industry, which was doing well until the pandemic struck two years ago. The Hospitality industry too has been severely hit as Hotel and Lodges room bookings were cancelled or there was poor response to COVID restrictions and weekend curfew, with tourists unwilling to take risks of visiting the city during the pandemic.

Buses, trains too see poor passenger patronage

With the State Government imposing travel restrictions amidst the spread of the deadly COVID pandemic, the transport sector of the State too is hit, just as any other sector. Though KSRTC was ready to operate buses, albeit on a low-scale due to weekend curfew, there were hardly a few passengers and as such buses had to wait for long for passengers at both the Sub-urban and City Bus Stands.

Though there was regular train services, most of the trains that left the city for Benglauru, Chamarajanagar via Nanjangud, Arasikere and onward destinations, saw less passengers than on normal days. Trains to Bengaluru, which usually witnessed a good number of passengers on usual days, had a few passengers on Saturday, the first day of the weeend curfew.

Though autos, taxis, cabs and other public transport vehicles plied, they ran short of passengers, suffering loss of income. Autos in stands near the City Railway Station, Bus Stands, other public places and in localities across the city had to wait more time than usual for passengers, as the city wore a near-deserted look and people preferred to stay indoors.

Youths take to sports

Unmindful of the COVID pandemic and caring little for the weekend curfew, youths in most of the localities, were seen spending their time by playing sports and games at grounds and other vacant sites.

Youths, who gathered in groups, were seen playing cricket and other games at the park in Janatanagar (Vasanthnagar), at the vacant space near Lalitha Mahal etc. Uncaring youths were also seen moving around in two-wheelers, gathering in groups and such others, showing little care to the fact that the weekend curfew was in place.

Even as youths took to sports and other activities at open grounds and other public places the entire day, the Beat Police who are seen doing rounds  across the city on normal days, were hardly seen during the first day of the weekend curfew.

Several Law-abiding citizens and elderly people, who saw youths engaged in sports and games at public spaces, wondered what purpose the curfew would serve if such activities take place, throwing COVID regulations to the wind.