Measures such as weekend lockdowns, night curfews and random Covid-19 testing are set to create unnecessary headaches for the country’s retailers, according to a Retailers Association of India (RAI) statement being reported by India’s business media.

“Retailers Association of India believes that there is a need for a coordinated effort at handling the second wave of the pandemic, rather than creating diverse restrictions at the local level,” the RAI statement said in part.

It argued that large, organised stores and malls are already ensuring hygiene protocols and should be subject to different standards to outdoor marketplaces or less formal retail outlets.

India’s Covid-19 caseload has been rising, with the country reporting over 72,000 cases yesterday. As a result, states are clamping down on the movement of people.