Social distancing absent in Kolkata wholesale hub

Kolkata: The wholesale hub of Burrabazar — which attracted stricter lockdown measures only a few days ago after multiple Covid-19 cases, including deaths — was embroiled in controversy for flouting social distancing norms as the restrictions on businesses eased on Monday.

Pictures of people without masks thronging Canning Street, hawkers encroaching MG Road pavements and snarls on Brabourne Road went viral within hours of reopening the market on Monday.

Netizens reacted with anger, dismay and fear to the pictures and questioned the efficacy of a 10-week long lockdown. Big markets like Bagri, Mehta Building, Bharati, Devi Prasad, Sadasukh Katra, Raja Katra and City Centre opened up, leading to heightened business activities from the very first hour. Buyers from across the city thronged these markets to purchase goods.

“Everything is an essential commodity after 10 weeks of complete lockdown. People want to get on with their lives and start recovering from their losses after such a long period of lull. It is not possible to stop people from coming to the markets. But yes, we are requesting everybody to wear masks,” said a cosmetics wholesaler from Bagri Market.

Last week the state government relaxed several restrictions allowing businesses to gradually open up, but by following all social distancing norms and making wearing of masks mandatory.

But TOI hardly found anyone wearing masks on Monday and Tuesday while social distancing was nowhere to be seen. From shoppers and rickshawpullers to shopkeepers — very few displayed the alacrity to follow social distancing guidelines.

One of the worst-impacted pocket was the Canning Street-Brabourne Road-Ezra Street-Synagogue Street-Jamunalal Bajaj Street-Posta belt, which is considered a wholesale hub.

Small vehicles blocked the lanes and bylanes to offload goods while some traders ferried merchandise on bikes or rickshaws. “There are over 2,200 markets in this zone, more than half of which have reopened. While some traders are replenishing their stocks, others have already started selling, causing traffic snarls and congestion,” said Santosh Parekh, a shopowner in Mehta Building.

On Tuesday, cops tried to regulate movement of people and vehicles. But by afternoon, the usual scenes of congestion and flouting social distancing norms were back.

“There is a tsunami of people in this zone. It is impossible to stop everyone for masks and regulate the entry of people. We have anyway set up barricades to stop big vehicles from entering,” said an officer from Burrabazar police station.