Mumbai: The Association of Indian Retailers (RAI) on Friday asked the Maharashtra government to leave the mall and open shopping center by following the Covid-19 protocol.
Stating that other countries such as Delhi and Haryana have permitted the opening of the mall along with other markets, Rai said letting malls and shopping centers operate will not only help save work but will also pave the way for citizens who are safe and clean.
In a statement, RAI said that he had asked the Maharashtra government to “allow central centers and shopping centers to operate on par with stand-alone shops and markets, and serving safe and controlled citizens”.
Chief Rai Executive Officer Kumar Rajagopalan said formal retail space such as malls and shopping centers play an important role in the economy because of their contribution to freedom in the form of taxes and the people they use.
“The Delhi and Haryana government has supported the ecosystem by opening malls along with other markets.
We asked the Maharashtra government to expand their support too.” He further said, “This will not only help save work but will also pave the way for citizens to shop in a safe and clean environment.
Malls can handle the crowd more efficiently than the market and therefore must be permitted to operate on par with other stores and The market must operate.
“Rai stressed that the mall was important for the economy and consumers because each mall employed more than 4,500 people, accounted for more than RS 10,000 business crore and more than RS 1,000 Crore GST.
“It is estimated that there are 50 malls in Maharashtra which include areas of more than 2 crore SQ FT,” the body of the retailer said that adding the mall has strictly followed all standard operating procedures on preventive measures issued by the Ministry of Health to ensure safety of staff and citizens.