Amid uncertainty in Kashmir, the special Sunday markets that were earlier confined to Sundays only are now coming up on every day in the valley with street vendors setting up their stalls in and around the commercial Hub Lal Chowk giving a semblance of normalcy post roll back of Article 370.According to wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the street vendors are setting up their stalls from TRC corner to Batamaloo here to earn their livelihood. These markets witness huge rush of shoppers on daily basis.Pertinently, the business establishments including the shops here continued to remain shut for 76th straight day following the repealing of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status (Article 370) and bifurcation of erstwhile State into two Union Territories.The trade community in Kashmir have suffered a huge loss due to ongoing uncertainty in Kashmir. Owais Rashid, a shopper said that he arrived at the market to buy winter stuff including jackets and sweaters. “I also purchased kitchen stuff and some warm clothes for my kids,” Rashid beamed.
Witnesses said that the street vendors good in number have been setting up their stalls at Srinagar’s Business Hub to earn their livelihood. These vendors according to them include locals as well as non-locals.Prior to uncertainty in Kashmir, these street vendors were installing their stalls only on Sundays especially on TRC to Regal Chowk stretch. LocalsThe street vendors as per the witnesses have been installing their stalls from the wee hours of the morning and wind up their places in the evening.Talking to KNO, a non-local vendor said, “Soon after the situation turned volatile in Kashmir after August 5, it became difficult for us to survive in Kashmir. We have to spend almost half of our earnings on rent and other things but the situation compelled us to face hardships, following which we resumed our businesses again in the Valley to earn livelihood and started installing the stalls on every day.” (KNO)