Shut neighbourhood stores trigger anxiety pangs in Lucknow

LUCKNOW: People continued to face inconvenience as most grocery shops remained closed and online delivery dysfunctional on Wednesday.
The problems were compounded as retail giants were also shut and suspended their home delivery services saying their staff is not coming to work. App-based suppliers also denied online booking citing lack of manpower. However, crisis of vegetable, medicines and dairy products eased in comparison to Tuesday.
TOI reality check found most of the grocery shops closed at many places, including Aashiana, Krishnagar, Alambagh, Hussainganj, Hazratganj, Nishatganj, Mahanagar, Indiranagar, Gomtinagar, Niralanagar, Chowk, Daliganj, Vrindavan Yojna, PGI area, Aliganj and Sitapur road.
Owners of few shops which were open told TOI that while some have closed because their staff is not coming, most have run out of stock because there is no supply from the wholesale. Stockpiling by people has also added to the crisis.
Vandana Sharma, a resident of LDA Colony, got a bag of wheat flour after running from one place to another for three hours. "When I found all shops in my localities shut, I went to a flour grinder, but it was also closed. Then after searching in Aashiana, Krishnanagar, Bangla Bazar and Alambagh, I found a shop in Charbagh which was open, but it too had just a 5kg pack,” she said.
Rizwan Ahamad, an Aashiana resident, said all retail giants in his area were shut. “At one place, I found a worker who told me that some of the staff is not coming because of fear of catching infection, while others were stopped by police because they do not have passes,” he said.