Several Mumbai shops didn't open on Monday in the absence of clarity. (File)
The Maharashtra government's Sunday order that five standalone shops selling non-essential items will be allowed to operate, has led to confusion among some business owners. Several Mumbai shops didn't open on Monday in the absence of clarity.
Preeti Mazumdar owns two cake shops in Mumbai's Borivali area. She explained why she didn't open her shops in spite of the government's go-ahead.
"Now who decides these five shops? There is another cake shop in my lane. So, are we going to say that they are going to be open one day, the other day we are going to be open? It is not going to be really good for my business. This is very confusing," she told NDTV.
The traders' association says it has not received any specific guidelines.
"There is a fear because without transport, without buses, trains, taxis, the staff will not able to come. There is a fear in the minds of shopkeepers as well as staff. With the way the cases are mounting and the way the migrants labourers are going away, it will be tricky situation to keep shops open," Viren Shah, president, Federation of Retail Traders' Welfare Association, told NDTV.
Maharashtra has reported around 13,000 coronavirus cases. Mumbai alone has 9,000 cases.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray - who has set an ambitious target of zero cases of coronavirus by the end of this month - on Monday expressed concern over people gathering on the roads in some cities the moment lockdown was relaxed.
"Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has expressed concern over people gathering in some cities the moment there is even a slight relaxation and has asked authorities to take care to ensure lockdown is followed. He has reiterated the need to ensure Maharashtra is entirely a green zone by end of May," a statement from the Chief Minister's office said.