Delhi: Survey conducted by traders' body says 65 pc respondents want lockdown to be extended

New Delhi, May 8 (PTI) Traders' body CTI on Saturday said 65 per cent  respondents in a survey conducted by it favoured extension of the ongoing lockdown in Delhi in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Delhi government imposed a weeklong lockdown in the city in the wake of steep rise in COVID positive cases in April. After two extensions, the lockdown is scheduled to come to an end at 5 AM on May 10.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday had said that a decision on extending the lockdown further will be taken after reviewing the situation.

"Right now the citizens of Delhi themselves want this lockdown to continue, to stop the spread of this virus," he had said.

Brijesh Goyal, chairman of Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) said that "65 percent of Delhi's traders favour increasing (extending) the lockdown in Delhi." He said that "480 traders and industrial organisations gave their opinion in the survey".

About  315 of these 480 organisations said that the lockdown in Delhi should be extended by one week. Two week extension was favoured by  60 organisations, said a CTI statement.

Nearly 100 organisations said that the lockdown in Delhi should be lifted and traders be allowed to open shops and markets three days a week or on an odd-even basis, it added.