Small traders rue departure, locals breathe sigh of relief

New Delhi: Is one year enough for a small-scale economy to mushroom in any given place if there is enough demand? Small traders and businessmen who had set up shop at the three border protest sites and will now be losing their main source of business would say so.

As farmer unions announced the suspension of their agitation, local residents and traders at the Singhu border protest site expressed mixed emotions, with small traders fearing loss of customers and others hoping for smoother road connectivity.

Thousands of farmers, prominently from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, had been protesting at the borders of the national capital since November 26 last year demanding repeal of the three farm laws at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders.

Ravinder Kumar, a tea seller at the Singhu border protest site, said his business increased since farmers began camping here.

"It is a highway and not many people stop here. Earlier, my business was limited. I run a small tea stall near the service lane and my business increased when the farmers arrived here. People come here and buy tea and other products. Sometimes, we also get food from the protesters," he said.

Meanwhile, Amardeep Singh, who owns an auto spare parts shop, is hopeful that his business will be back to normal when the stir ends.

But at the same time, Sewa Singh, who opened a saloon on the roadside, said his business totally depended on the protesting farmers. "I opened this saloon around three months ago and my business depended on these protesters. I will have to vacate when they do," he said.

Regardless, what does come as a relief to locals in these areas is the fact that their daily commute can now be easier and faster with the main highways set to be freed of protesters by the weekend.

Sandeep Rathi, who lives in Singhu village and is pursuing graduation, said the local residents had no issues with the protesting farmers but wanted to see a smooth commute.

"The villagers are taking alternate routes causing traffic snarls on service roads. Relatives, too, avoid visiting our homes..." Rathi said.

"After the government's announcement of the repeal of the three farm laws, I had thought that the farmers would end their protest but they continued it. Their announcement today will bring a huge relief to many commuters like me who have been facing severe issues," said Suman Rathore, a regular commuter to Rewari in Haryana.

Neeti Rastogi, a resident of Noida extension who travels to Lutyens' Delhi for work, said, "I used to take the Delhi-Meerut expressway to reach my office before the protests began. After the protesters occupied the border, I started taking the metro to reach my office, which meant a longer commuting time, more hassle and the fear of contracting coronavirus."