Covid cripples businesses in Vijayawada

Vijayawada: The fast spreading second wave of Covid virus has badly affected the trading activity in Vijayawada, the commercial capital of the State. More than 11,000 Covid-19 cases were registered in Krishna district in April alone. Most of these cases are from Vijayawada and suburbs.

According to experts, the virus is spreading faster in the second wave compared to the first phase which was from March to December 2020. It took six months from March to September to log 25,000 cases in Krishna district in the first wave. However, the next 25,000 cases were In April 2021 alone and more than 11,000 cases registered in the district that created fear among the people to come out of their homes.

Due to huge impact of spiraling infections and scorching summer, most of the people are not coming out of homes in the city from 11 am to 5 pm. Consequently, the trading activity drastically declined in the city.

Vijayawada is well known for wholesale and retail business. More than 1000 textiles shops and showrooms are in the city. Over 700 gold and jewelry shops and workshops are in the city. The city is well known for fancy items, cosmetics, plastic goods, children's toys, electrical goods, mobile shops, consumer products, footwear, jewelry, furniture products, sanitary ware, furniture products etc. Most traders are worried with the falling of business in April. If the business declines further the traders may face difficulties to pay rents, wages to the workers, electrical bills, taxes and meet day to day expenses.

There is a lukewarm response to the call given by Vijayawada Chamber of Commerce and Industry for closure of shops by 2 pm to check spread of the coronavirus. The traders are continuing the business activity as usual till 9 pm in most places in the city.

There are rumours that lock down will be implemented in the city following the increasing cases. Keeping in view of the future needs in lock down, people are spending cautiously. Most people are buying only essential commodities and reluctant to spend for luxury items and comforts. Apart from that, people have stopped going to the hotels and restaurants.

Most people feel it is unsafe to go to the parties, marriages, functions and other places where there is a public gathering. The third and fourth week of April provided more dangerous in the city as scores of people died due to Covid.

K Ravi Kiran, a wholesale trader in one town said the traders are worried with drastic falling of business activity. He said the first week of every month is very important to the traders because they have to pay shop/godown rents, the power bills, taxes, wages to workers. Besides, they have to incur the day today other expenses.

K S Bose, a wholesale furniture trader in Governorpet, said the business fell by more than 70 per cent in April compared to January and February. He said the traders will face many problems if the Covid cases continue to rise and customers don't come to the shops for purchases.

The primary reason for people staying at homes is very horrible Covid pandemic situation and not availability of beds in the hospitals. Increasing Covid infection cases, shortage of beds in the hospitals, fleecing of patients by private hospitals and spreading of infection forcing people stay home. All these factors have a toll on business activity in the city.