The business in Srinagar’s flea market continues to be grim due to the perpetual shutdown against the removal of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.On August 5, the BJP government at the Centre revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir- Article 370- and split the state into two union territories of Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh.According to wire-service Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the development saw Centre imposing a lock down and communication gag on Jammu and Kashmir to prevent protests against the move.On Thursday, the Kashmir crossed over 52 days of uncertainty that gripped the entire valley on August 5, when center rolled back Article 370. A massive clampdown was imposed across the erstwhile state to ensure no law and order situation takes place. Kashmir, however remained relatively peaceful, but spontaneous shutdown is being observed since past 53 days causing huge losses to the local roadside vendors of the Srinagar’s famous flea market which is a major source of earning for about 4,00,000 people of the valley.Arif Ahmad, a seller at a flea market told Kashmir News Observer (KNO), “The ongoing uncertainty have taken worst toll on our daily business, due to the unavailability of public transport most of the shoppers are not able to venture out of their homes.”
He told KNO that even after the span of 53 days the sellers at flea market merely witness 10-15 percent of their daily shoppers. He further said, “It’s very hard to manage an average pay day as the business is completely down because of the prevailing uneasy calm in the Kashmir region.” Another vendor Riyaz Mir of the flea market told the wire service—KNO,” The prevailing uncertainty which led to the traffic restrictions and the ongoing communication gag are the main factors which restricting most of the people to venture out of their homes are causing huge losses to our business.”He told the wire service that, they usually spend a day at the roadside waiting for the buyers and several times they returned back with only disappointments. He further said, “The Srinagar city is not the only place to witness zero business but in many other districts the same fate is being faced by the vendors.” He added more by saying that, “Our expectations are on the restoration of normalcy in the region and that is the only hope for managing our bread and butter.”(KNO)