Shops in Hyderabad's Begum Bazaar to shut by 5 pm due to COVID-19 surge

A total of 398 new COVID-19 cases were recorded under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits on Wednesday.
A crowded narrow street in a market in Hyderabad
A crowded narrow street in a market in Hyderabad
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Hyderabad’s Begum Bazar, one of the largest trade hubs in the city, will be closed from 5 pm starting from Friday, amid rising COVID-19 cases. Shops in the market will be open from 9 am to 5 pm, according to instructions issued to traders in the market by The Hyderabad Kirana Merchants Association. The decision was announced following a meeting of executive members of the association. The association also asked traders to ensure physical distance is maintained, and reminded that every shopkeeper must wear a mask and use sanitiser. “If any customer or staff member doesn't wear a mask, remind them. If they don't have a mask, provide masks to them,” the association told its members.

In June last year, even as the government-imposed lockdown was lifted, business owners in many market areas in Old City, including Lad Bazaar, Pathergathi and Begum Bazar, had voluntarily observed a lockdown as COVID-19 cases increased exponentially. At the time, textile traders of General Bazar in Secunderabad, and traders in Troop Bazar, Patthargatti and Laad Bazar had also decided to close down their shops, along with members of the Hyderabad and Secunderabad Sanitary Association and The Hyderabad Kirana Merchants Association. 

As of Wednesday night, Telangana had a total of 13,362 active COVID-19 cases. The number of cases recorded on a daily basis in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits have been steadily increasing over the past week. On Wednesday, the GHMC recorded 398 new COVID-19 cases, while the entire state recorded 2,055 cases in total. Seven COVID-19 related deaths were recorded in the state on Wednesday. 

So far, a total of 14,03,416 people in the state have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 2,76,906 people have received the second dose as well. This includes healthcare workers, frontline workers as well as those above the age of 45, who are eligible to receive the vaccine. 

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