Many Bengalureans choose to stay home

Malls, shopping hubs and restaurants record poor footfall despite lifting of weekend curfew

Deserted shopping hubs, near-empty malls, and vacant tables at restaurants.

Most Bengalureans chose to remain indoors this weekend even though the State Government lifted curfew amidst pressure from traders, and the retail and the hospitality sectors.

The shopping hubs of Old Pete area and Commercial Street were bereft of the usual crowds as citizens chose to stay at home.

“People have not come out of their homes during the weekend, despite the curfew being lifted. We expect the situation to improve over the next weekend,” said Mohammed Nazim, vice-president, Bangalore Commercial Association. Senior trade activist Sajjan Raj Mehta from Chickpet said the crowds were thin in the Old Pete area as well. Other hubs like Gandhi Bazaar and Malleswaram also reported thin crowds. Most of these markets did not see any weekend rush. Many malls and cinema theatres also reported very low turnout. BJP MLA and owner of Garuda Malls said as against an average footfall of over 30,000 during the weekend days, Garuda Mall off M.G. Road reported not more than 300 footfall on Sunday. After three shows on five screens, the mall saw less than 200 people buying movie tickets.

“Unlike the Delta variant, Omicron causes only flu-like infection, with very low hospitalisation, which is why the Government withdrew the weekend curfew. However, there is a fear psychosis created by the media and people are not coming out,” he said.

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