Coronavirus: Maharashtra today reported more than 9,000 new cases of COVID-19, the highest in the country.
Bombay:
In a desperate attempt to save jobs of around 50 lakh, the Shopping Center Association of India (SCAI) wrote to Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray to reopen the malls that have remained closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic. COVID-19 has affected 3.47 lakh people and claimed the lives of 12,854 people in the state so far – the highest in the country.
“About 5 million jobs (50 lakh) are at stake if shopping centers are not opened as soon as possible,” the letter warns, adding that workforce reductions could be considered as early as August. So far, the major malls in Mumbai and Thane have yet to report job losses.
The letter added that the lockdown had also suspended construction of 30 shopping centers and the retail sector had already suffered losses of over Rs 1.00,000 crore.
Shopping malls across the country reopened last month, but the Maharashtra government decided otherwise due to the growing number of Covid cases. However, the state has said it is ready to implement stricter Covid safety standards enforced in other cities, such as Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru and Lucknow, for the reopening of shopping malls.
“Maharashtra is a crucial state (for the retail sector). There are at least 75 shopping malls in the state that contribute significantly to the retail economy. Shopping centers have created strict SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) that are followed in letter and spirit. The government should now really consider reopening shopping centers. Both life and livelihood are important, ”said Amitabh Taneja, president of the Association of Shopping Centers.
According to SCAI, Maharashtra has more than 75 shopping malls across the state. About 50% of them are in the Mumbai metropolitan area including Thane and Kalyan, about 20% of them are in the Pune area and the rest are in smaller towns including Nashik, Kolhapur, Nagpur and Aurangabad.
Coronavirus cases are on the rise in Pune and the satellite cities of Mumbai, Kalyan and Thane.
Four months after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Maharashtra continues to report an average of 7,000 cases per day, forcing the state government to exercise extreme caution, but Health Minister Rajesh Tope has recently said he was planning to reopen shopping centers soon.
The lockdown, imposed to stem the spread of the highly contagious virus, has hit many industries hard with numerous pay and job cuts to support operations.
