Retailers Association of India (RAI) expresses disappointment over malls not being allowed to operate

Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, Retailers Association of India (RAI) has expressed serious disappointment over malls not being allowed to operate in Maharashtra despite the best COVID-19 protocol in place.

The state recently permitted those associated with most retail establishments except those located in malls and shopping centres to resume activity. However, it continued to keep malls shut.

Malls in the state generate a business of Rs. 40,000 crores and contribute Rs. 4,000 crores in GST, per month, said Rajagopalan. The prolonged closures are impacting more than 2 lakh people employed in about 50 malls in the state.

They are also impacting all the businesses associated with malls—on average, a mall has 200 retail stores operating in it and over 5,000 business entities associated with it as suppliers and vendors, he added.

Rajagopalan urged the government to permit malls to operate as he believes it will pave the way for citizens to shop in a safe and sanitized environment but will also save jobs of lakhs of livelihoods the mall ecosystem supports.