Due to the lockdown in some famous cities in India, the local markets have suffered a lot. If the lockdown brought their livelihood to a grinding halt, the post-lockdown era has failed to usher in a sense of relief in markets of the old city. Almost two months after the lockdown that was imposed to contain the spread of the pandemic has been relaxed, businesses in Hyderabad’s old city remain surrounded in problems. And the mood among scores of small-scale businessmen who earn their livelihood from activities from around the historic Charminar continues to be despondent.

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The continuing scare of the epidemic and the general loss of appetite for shopping has many of the streets that are lined up with shops and kiosks on all sides of Charminar, Gulzar Houz and Madina Building have been wearing a deserted look for weeks now. Several of the businessmen lament of days when there is not even one customer stopping by to make a purchase.

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“We just open the shop, idle around and then roll down the shutter without putting any cash in the counter,” is how Syed Abdul Khader, a perfume seller at Gulzar Houz, sums up his day.  The traders are also seeking help from the government in tiding over the crisis period and to ensure that they do not end up in a debt trap. “We will be grateful if small loans are provided to us at low interests. This can help us meet the expenses of running the business such as salaries, bills and recurring expenses,” said Khader.

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