Deserted streets now a weekend affair

Meat, fish sales dip in Mysuru but Srirangapatna markets see extra buyers

Mysore/Mysuru: The second-day of the 55-hour second weekend curfew of the new year enforced by the Government to check the spread of the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic, saw good public response as the Central Business district (CBD) wore a  near-deserted look this morning.

Very few people and vehicles were found moving on the streets. The curfew which began at 10 pm on Friday (Jan.14), will end at 5 am on Monday (Jan.17). Though provision stores and other essential commodities shops and services were exempted from the curfew, most of the provision shops in the old Santhepet area remained shut as the shop owners were apprehensive of poor business.

Some shops closed for the day in the afternoon. Similar was the case in respect of Devaraja Market, Vani Vilas and Mandi Markets, where shops shut down in the afternoon after witnessing poor business.

Devaraja Market Tenants Association President Pailwan Mahadev told Star of Mysore this morning that barring a couple of days before Sankranti, most of the shop owners have reported a sharp fall in their business since then.

As far as non-essential shops, all of them in the CBD were closed. Though public transport was as usual, most KSRTC buses saw a lesser number of passengers for almost all routes, barring Bengaluru.

Meat sales record dip

Meanwhile, the sale of meat, chicken, fish etc., saw a dip and most vendors reported that they had only 50 percent of pre-COVID level sales. Pointing out that the sales were dull during the first weekend lockdown last week, the vendors said that they are witnessing a lesser number of people walking into their shops.  However, meat and fish stalls in Srirangapatna were buzzing with activity as people rushed in droves to grab their share of meat. They travelled in vehicles early in the morning to avoid Police action.  Many meat lovers were seen rushing to Srirangapatna, KRS, Belagola and surrounding villages that come under Mandya District to purchase meat and fish.

Only 206 of 10,300 hotel rooms booked

According to Mysuru Hotel Owners Association President C. Narayanagowda, following the restrictions, barely two percent of the total rooms at hotels and lodges in the city have been booked from Friday to Sunday.

“There are 413 hotels with lodging facilities totalling 10,300 rooms. Of them barely two percent of the rooms (around 206) are occupied. It is also for the first time in the last six months between July 5, 2021 and Jan. 16, 2022 that the hospitality sector is witnessing poor bookings, he added.