HYDERABAD: Begum Bazaar, one of the busy and major trading hubs in Hyderabad has been hit by the coronavirus second wave, after more than 100 people were diagnosed as COVID-19 positive. After this, the Trader Associations have decided to close the area after 5 pm starting from Friday.

Shops in the market will now be open from 9 Am to 5 Pm, as per the instructions issued by the Hyderabad Kirana Merchants Association following a meeting of executive members of the association.

Laxminarayan Rathi, president of The Hyderabad Grocery Merchant Association, and Mahesh Kumar Agarwal, general secretary, said the shops would be open from 9 am to 5 pm and closed till 5 pm.

All wholesale grocery stores in Begum Bazar, Chhatri, Fish Market, Mittika Sher etc. will also abide by the rules of the association. The association has requested traders to maintain physical distance and that every shopkeeper must wear a mask and use sanitiser.

The association members have also instructed that the customers should also wear masks, and remind them if they don't or else provide masks to them if they don't have.

Telangana added 1,914 fresh cases to its coronavirus tally, the highest single-day spike this year, pushing the aggregate to over 3.16 lakh while the toll rose to 1,734 with five more fatalities.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 393, followed by Medchal Malkajgiri 205 and Nizamabad 179, a bulletin said on Wednesday, providing details as of 8 pm on April 6.

Also Read: Hyderabad Prankster Who Circulated Fake Telangana GO on Lockdown Held