Markets remained abuzz for the second day on Thursday with Eid-ul-Azha shoppers in Kashmir valley, including summer capital, Srinagar, where prices of essentials -- including goats and sheep for quarbani (sacrifice) besides meat -- remained high.
Public transport remained off the roads and all shrines and mosques remained closed. However, private vehicles were seen plying in large numbers on the roads, leading to frequent traffic jams at several places.
The administration in Srinagar had relaxed lock down restrictions for two days from Wednesday to allow people to purchase essentials for the festival being celebrated on August 1. Only essential service shops and other business establishments were ordered to function form 0900 hrs to 1800 hrs daily. But, other businessmen too were seen doing their normal business. The relaxation period will end at 1800 hrs this evening.
However, sheep and goat sellers, who had come from different parts of the valley and Jammu division were disappointed due to very low sale as compared to last year when there was total curfew after August 5, when centre scrapped Article 370 and divided the state into two Union Territories (UTs).
Though administration has directed people and shopkeepers to wear masks, maintain physical distancing and take other precautions to avoid further spike in COVID-19 cases, in some cases violations could be noticed in the busy markets.
Bakery and confectionary besides meat and chicken shops witnessed heavy rush for the second day today. However, there was no market checking and essentials, particularly meat was being sold at much higher prices against the government rate.
A UNI correspondent who visited number of markets, including Gonikhan, Mahraj Bazar, Hari Singh High Street (HSHS, historic Lal Chowk, Batmaloo, Dalgate saw heavy rush of shoppers. There was hardly any physical distancing being maintained while some people, including women, were seen without masks.