Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 12: As businessmen in Srinagar’s business hub, Lal Chowk, are still cleaning their shops after last month’s devastative floods, the flea market today brought some life to the business centre as it opened for the first time selling flood-affected merchandise on cheaper rates. Shoppers made beelines on the shop fronts to buy flood-affected items like garments, shoes, bedding and matting as the ‘discount market’ sprawled from Poloview to Jahangir Chowk.
The city center gave a festive look today after a month’s deserted look as shopkeepers were busy cleaning off the slush and removing their merchandise for washing.
Traders said the flood affected goods were washed off the slush by washermen in Shalimar and Hazratbal, which is the habitation of the washermen. “We are selling the flood-affected items in order to empty our shops from the material and resume our business after it is completely sold.
So we offer discounts and sell the merchandise on cheaper rates,” said Adnan Ahmad, a shopkeeper in Lal Chowk, who has put stalls of the flood-affected garments outside his shop.
Ahmad said all the traders whose merchandise was affected by the floods are selling it on discounts. Although the trading items have faded in colour and are stained by slush scars, the enthusiastic shoppers are not discouraged.
“These flood-affected items look like original after they have been cleaned by the shopkeepers. They need one more washing at home before using them,” said Firdous Bhat, a young man who had come from Baramulla about the discount on flood-affected items.
Outside stores which sell women clothing, women lined there to buy dresses of their liking at rates cheaper than before. “I know these dresses are affected by the flood, a little hardwork on them can make them look better. These dresses were unimaginable for me on normal days. But I can now buy them and use them,” said Shaista, a student.
Besides clothing, shoppers bought carpets and bed sheets on discounts at Jahangir Chowk, where shopkeepers have put the flood-affected items on sale at cheaper rates.
“Our bedding and matting was destroyed in the recent floods, so we came here to buy the same on cheaper rates. At this time, we cannot afford to buy our household items in routine market. So we came here after hearing about the discount is being offered on flood-affected items,” said Sara, a woman from Lasjan.
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