Traders from across India, who have set up their stalls at Nampally Exhibition Grounds, are in despair with the sudden announcement of the All India Industrial Exhibition suspension, known as Numaish, up to January 10 due to a rise in the number of Omicron cases in Hyderabad.

Several traders who brought goods from their states for sale at the 45-day Numaish fair are in the doldrums as they have to sit idle without any business till January 10. There are also doubts whether the exhibition will be opened after January 10, making their situation even more tragic.

Some traders from Maharashtra, Kashmir, and Gujarat, spoke to the media to express their pathetic situation about the sudden announcement. Some traders from Kashmir have set up stalls with shawls worth Rs 10 lakh. They set up the stall on rent by paying Rs 1 lakh to the society for 45 days. They will have to spend Rs 5 lakh towards expenditure including shelter, food, and salaries to staff. They say that they are unsure of what is in store; what if the government imposes restrictions even after January 10. They feel that society has to compensate for the loss by returning the rent for ten days.

Another vendor from Sholapur, who has set up a chappal stall with three workers to assist him in selling Rs 5 lakh worth of material, says he is heartbroken with this development. Ahmed from Kashmir has set up three dry fruit stalls with goods worth Rs 10 lakh and has paid Rs 2 lakh each for the three stalls. He also hired a dozen workers hoping to make a Rs 3 lakh profit during the 45 days of Numaish, but things look bleak for him now as Covid has ruined things.

While speaking to the media, All India Industrial Exhibition office-bearers said that the exhibition was suspended as per the Covid guidelines issued by the Telangana government.