Week on, no shopkeeper in Chandigarh willing to stay open 24x7

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, July 4

A week after the UT Administration allowed shops and commercial establishments to open 24X7, not a single trader has expressed willingness to open his shop round the clock in the city.

There are nearly 13,900 shops and other commercial establishments registered with the UT Labour Department. None has made an undertaking with the department for opening of the shop 24×7, said an official.

According to rough estimates, there are nearly 40,000 shops and commercial establishments in the city. Shopkeepers willing to open their shops round the clock must inform the Labour Department. The department has now started organising awareness camps in various markets of the city.

Only registered establishments are allowed to operate 24×7 throughout the year. The administration has urged all shopkeepers to register with the Labour Department under the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958, through online portal – labour.chd.gov.in.

Sanjeev Chadha, president, Market Welfare Association, Sector 17, said, “Apart from security issues, it is financially unviable to open shops 24×7 as owners will have to increase the manpower to manage three shifts. Also, during the night hours, they will hardly get any customers.” Before taking such a decision, the administration should have deliberated on the matter with the stakeholders, he said, adding that the decision could benefit eating joints or fast food outlet operators, but not retail shopkeepers.

Local customers are not used to night shopping, he stated.

Charanjiv Singh, president, Chandigarh Beopar Mandal, said small and medium shopkeepers were not likely to benefit from the decision. With stretched working hours, expenses would also increase. The decision may benefit big or multinational retail outlets and food chains, he added.

On a poor response by traders, Diwakar Sahoonja, spokesperson for the CBM, said as per his knowledge, no trader has enthusiastically opted for opening shop round the clock. The small retailers were not going to gain from the decision, he added.

13,900 units registered with Labour Department

There are nearly 13,900 shops and other commercial establishments registered with the UT Labour Department. None has made an undertaking with the department for opening of the shop 24×7, said an official. According to rough estimates, there are nearly 40,000 shops and commercial establishments in the city.

Financially unviable

Apart from security issues, it is financially unviable to open shops 24×7 as owners will have to increase the manpower to manage three shifts. Also, during the night hours, they will hardly get any customers. — Sanjeev Chadha, president, Market Welfare Association, Sector 17