Chandigarh: A test drive through Sector 22 market

The Indian Express drove through Chandigarh's busiest, Sector 22 market to see what has changed since Covid-19.

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Chandigarh was the first city to make masks mandatory in public places. While some shopkeepers and salesmen followed the rule in letter and spirit, some didn’t and had pulled it below their chin. (Representational)

Has the pandemic really changed the shopping experience? Are visitors and shopkeepers really following social distancing norms and taking other precautions to avoid contracting the infection?

The Indian Express drove through Chandigarh’s busiest, Sector 22 market to see what has changed since Covid-19.

Chandigarh was the first city to make masks mandatory in public places. While some shopkeepers and salesmen followed the rule in letter and spirit, some didn’t and had pulled it below their chin.

An enforcement vehicle of the Municipal Corporation stands parked right outside the market to ensure that there are no illegal vendors loitering in the area.

On walking through the market in Sector 22 C, shopkeepers can be seen sitting outside the shops to get more customers in, and sometimes coming too close to do so. Aware visitors have to be rude enough to tell them to maintain distance.

Social distancing seems like a distant dream in an 8*8 shop, as most have as many as three salesmen.

Staff inside the shops are often seen having pulled their masks below their chins, which seems of no use as the basic purpose of covering the nose and mouth gets defeated. A shopkeeper was also seen sneezing after lowering his mask, defeating the entire purpose of wearing it.

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There was no checking to ensure if people were really wearing masks or not and following it looked entirely like the customer’s own responsibility. “We do carry regular checks to ensure that masks are worn and distancing is followed. But what do we do? It is something that has to come from within. When we go out of sight, many of them lower their masks. How long do we keep standing on their head to ensure these things?” said an enforcement wing official, while speaking to The Indian Express.

A redeemable sight was witnessed at a shop selling accessories, where the salesmen had placed a paper on the counter to avoid direct contact with the surface over which the accessories were placed. They also did not allow any trial of any accessory.

Some shopkeepers, meanwhile, have moved their business online. A shopowner selling dupattas was seen video calling a customer to show them thee product.

Hina Rohtaki

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory. Professional Background Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance. Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows. Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends: 1. Investigative & Financial Reporting "Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff. "Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control. "Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT. 2. Governance & Constitutional Status "What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance. "MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure. "No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term. 3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment "Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts. "UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network. "Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump. 4. Lifestyle & Local Trends "Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year. "After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges. Signature Beat Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse. X (Twitter): @HinaRohtaki ... Read More

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