With a decline in Covid cases in Delhi, various market associations here have said that the government should now think about withdrawing the night curfew as it is adversely affecting their businesses.

During the meeting, it was decided that the night curfew should be continued in the national capital.?Shops are currently allowed to open from 10 am to 8 pm.?Traders and shopkeepers of Delhi said that the closing time should be extended.

Ashok Randhawa, President of Sarojini Nagar Mini Market Association, said the 10 am - 8 pm timing has not really helped in increasing the sales already affected by the pandemic and restrictions.?

"Our overall sales have only been 40 per cent even after the removal of the odd-even rule. Moreover, there's not enough footfall in the morning. It would have been better if shops were allowed to open from 11 am."

"Much of the winter stock is lying unsold with us. Hawkers selling goods on the pavements are the worst affected as 75 per cent of them have been removed by the police. We urge the government to let the shops remain open for a longer time like till 9 pm to 9.30 pm," he said.

Market associations said the shopkeepers start closing their shops before 8 pm since they are scared that they might have to face action if the shop remains open even for some time beyond the deadline.

"The closing time for the shops is actually 7.15 pm as shopkeepers rush towards downing the shutters keeping in view the 8 pm curfew. Customers, too, get into a hurry to leave the market well before the curfew starts."

"We are losing out on sales because of this. We demand restoration of normal operational hours -- 10 am - 9pm,” said Ashwani Marwah, general secretary of? Trader Association, Lajpat Nagar.?

He said Covid cases are on a decline in Delhi and all the shopkeepers are fully vaccinated. "We are following Covid protocols because we too are responsible citizens," he added.

Delhi on Tuesday reported 2,683 fresh COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 5.09 per cent, while 27 more people succumbed to the viral disease.

The number of daily cases in Delhi has been on the decline after touching the record high of 28,867 on January 13. The city had recorded a positivity rate of 30.6 per cent on January 14, the highest during the ongoing wave of the pandemic. It took just 10 days for daily cases to drop below the 10,000-mark.?

With inputs from PTI.?