The scene outside DMart in Mulund West on Friday

MUMBAI: Three weeks into the lockdown, the availability of essential items appears to have worsened although it should have streamlined by now. Bleary-eyed Mumbaikars are being forced to step out for shopping at dawn to ensure they procure their daily quota of milk, bread and vegetables. With police reinforcing the limited hour functioning and the wholesale APMC market planning to close, the weekend could see supplies being hit further.

Grocery and vegetable shops in various markets downed shutters on Friday. A Parel resident drove to half a dozen stores in Dadar, Parel and Byculla only to return home disappointed. “There was no edible oil, dal or rice. Virtually empty shelves,” he lamented.

Provision stores are visibly empty as demand outstrips supply. Replenishments are slow to trickle in, both from manufacturers’ godowns and wholesalers to retailers.

As a result, basic essentials like bread, poha, biscuits, noodles, soap, chicken, frozen meat, ready-to-eat food, toothpaste, shaving cream and even cleaning liquid are all in short supply. Caretakers of bedridden patients found adult diapers missing from the shelves in the Tardeo-Mahalakshmi belt.

