What has traditionally been a period of high income for traders and others has spawned fears of a slump this year.

Shop owners, workers and people from different walks of life pin their hopes on the autumn festive season and its run-up. But the chaos and anarchy on the streets on Tuesday and the fear of a return of the dreaded bandh culture have them worried.

Metro spoke to some of them on the day the BJP tried to enforce a 12-hour Bengal bandh. Here is what they said:

Anup Mandal

Owner of a cosmetic store in Shyambazar

Ever since the protests broke out following the RG Kar rape and murder, customers have been wary of coming here. This bandh has only added to our woes. Usually, customers visit our stores in increasing numbers in the run-up to Durga Puja. But this bandh and the large-scale violence the day before, in the city and its adjoining areas, are bound to trigger panic among customers. They will stay indoors, which will hurt our business.

Asit Pahari

Bookseller on College Street

We have not seen a bandh in the state in the past one-and-a-half-decades. But Wednesday’s bandh call seems to have resurrected the old spectre. Now that the RG Kar issue has taken an ugly political turn, we fear more such bandhs will be called. That will be disastrous for us.

Traders like us are heavily dependent on daily sales. On Tuesday, College Street was plunged into chaos because of Chhatra Samaj’s march to Nabanna (College Street was one of the starting points of the march). Hardly any customer came. On Wednesday, the situation is even worse. If the condition does not improve, how will we survive?

Prasenjit Karmakar

Works at a stall in Gariahat that sells cloth pieces for salwar suits and blouses

I opened the stall at 10am. It’s now 2pm and I am yet to sell an item. Usually, post-August 15 marks the start of our peak business season. Our customers buy early and give the cloth pieces to tailors. Even on a weekday, we sell cloth pieces worth more than Rs 10,000. On Tuesday, our sales were worth less than Rs 2,000. I am the sole earning member of my family. I have a son who is 18 months’ old. The pre-Puja period is very crucial for us.

Ajay Ray

Taxi driver who lives in Tollygunge Karunamoyee

The period between late August and Durga Puja is the peak season for us. Many people go out shopping. Even those who avail of public transport on their way to malls and markets hail a cab while returning home. But over the past few days it has been hard to find passengers. The unrest on the streets have left many scared. The rising fuel price has already made our lives miserable. A litre of diesel costs Rs 93, up from Rs 75 in 2017-18. But my income has not risen. These bandhs and rallies are costing me dear.

Arjun Pal

Owner of a garment store at Hatibagan

Our sales spike post-Independence Day. But this year is different and we are very worried. Some people are saying we should not organise Durga Puja as a mark of protest against the RG Kar incident. Those people must be from the salaried class, who have an assured income. But for small traders like us, such a call spells doom.