Future of shopping malls post lockdown

The novel coronavirus pandemic has hit the global businesses hard

The lockdown and threat of virus transmission is keeping the consumers away from non-essential goods stores.

As the lockdown is further extended, the shopping malls face the worst times

Its been two months without business, with lockdown 3.0 all hopes are gone

The mall stores do not expect customers to come back for the next six months to a year.

Top industry experts opine that shopping malls, when they reopen, may not be the same as before.

After the first few weeks after lockdown, only 20-25 per cent of the capacity of malls might open

Retailers dependent on imports will have to wait for more than 6 months to restart

With limited openings, the malls will not celebrate major festivals through public events

The focus will be on stocking essential products, which will remain universally in demand

Experts believe, shopping malls might be unsafe as the centralised air conditioning makes them hotbeds of virus transmission

There are more than 3500 malls in India, most of them in worst hit cities like Mumbai,Delhi and Noida

Carrying out distancing will be a big challenge for malls, with lifts being the major access facility

Movie multiplexes, the major attraction for malls may also not see a reopening soon

Restaurants, pubs and sports zones in the malls might face a longer closure due to the threat of virus spread

The most sparkling malls of the country are suddenly the most distressed with no relaxation so far

Besides the store owners, lakhs of mall employees all over the country are worried about the future

The Shopping Centre Association of India believes that the malls are worst affected due to lockdown

The association demands for the permission to restart with provisions and preparedness

Malls will need to arrange for a proper air filtration system so that the inflow of the virus can be blocked

Entering and moving in the malls will not be the same for months to come

Fun at malls will be replaced with intense sanitisation and screening exercise