Bhubaneswar: Weekend shutdown can throw shadows at Raksha Bandhan’s celebration for the second year in a row.
With rules still valid in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri, worried people cannot visit each other on that occasion, which falls on Sunday this year.
Shop owners, also, understand that with a closed market on weekends, they might lose profits from the last-minute sales of Rakhis and other items.
“People usually buy sweets, fruits and goods in 11 o’clock.
But with restricting weekend shutdown in several cities, including state capital, business will be affected.
We have sold additional items on Friday remembering shutdown weekends and Festival, “said Bimbadhar Behera from Nimapada Sweets.
Seasonal shopkeepers in other markets hope for relaxation in front of the festival to help their business.
“Everything has returned to normal.
There are no sales in recent months due to consecutive locking.
I hope the government makes it easy for restrictions so that we can make money,” Kartika Sahu, who installed a store in the unit-4 market for Rakhi, said.
With public transportation such as buses and automatic rickshaws mostly from the road for weekends, many people may be forced to stay at home and celebrate a virtual festival.
“I live in Lingipur and my brother is in Patia.
Without public transportation, it will be difficult for me to visit him to tie Rakhi.
This festival is not only about binding Rakhi, but also has a family gathering when our other siblings join the celebration,” Suchitra Sahu, said a housewife.