Hyderabad: Traders hope for good business at 'Numaish'

Hyderabad: Traders from J&K, Gujarat, Lucknow, Delhi, Rajasthan, besides the locals at the 'Numaish' (All-India Industrial Exhibition, Nampally) pin hope for good business by following Covid protocols during the 45-day long exhibition which is to kick-off from Saturday.

The exhibition had skipped 2021 observing pandemic. For the last few years, the traders, especially those from Lucknow, J&K, Rajasthan, Delhi and other States, are reeling under slump in sales. Irrespective of the number of visitors, which remained almost the same as in the previous years, traders are hoping for good business as Exhibition Society hosts the annual event.

According to stall-owners, at least since a decade traders have been taking part in Numaish. They are dejected as customers are showing less interest in purchases year after year. "The exhibition is going to start after a year, and hope that customers would show interest in shopping from stalls," hoped Ashfaq Ansari of Lucknow who sells Lucknow dresses at exhibition.

For the last few years, people are not willing to spend money, which leads to low business. "Each year we are dealing with one or other consequences like fire incidents in 2019, anti-CAA protests in 2020 and no Numaish in 2021; and low business year after year. With a gap of a year, I hope that people will spend time shopping in Numaish and there will be no lockdown in the city. In case the State opts for lockdown, traders would be in major trouble," said Rakesh Singh of Rajasthan Emporium.

The Exhibition Society has ensured opening of the exhibition and called for stalls allotment. "We traders are putting up stalls at Numaish as the society ensures that we follow all Covid restrictions with all necessary permissions from all departments. By spending lakhs of rupees, we have erected a stall. Now all depends on people visiting the exhibition," said Mohammed Asrar, who used to sell Kashmiri fabrics for the last two decades.

Traders said they have been instructed to follow all Covid norms strictly. Besides sanitising, all salesmen are fully vaccinated. However, no-mask no-entry is a must on the premises.

According to the society, Numaish will be accommodating over 1,400 stalls this year following Covid protocols. Earlier there were 2,500. People who throng the event must follow guidelines. The event will be inaugurated by Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan on Saturday, along with Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali and others.

Aditya Margam, secretary of Exhibition Society, said the government has given the permission on condition that it follows strict protocols. We will also ensure social distance and other regulations. Sanitisers will be placed at the entrance. The entire exhibition premises will be daily sanitized before opening gates."

Traders from Nepal and Assam would be putting up stalls. The society is taking all precautionary measures so that it goes on smoothly," he added.

On an average 20 lakh visitors attend the exhibition every year. The Exhibition Society has been successfully conducting Numaish annually for the past 80 years.