As jewellers strike continues against excise duty imposition, a lot of work in the city has been shifted underground to meet the lucrative wedding season demand.
.
.
According to a jeweller, who requested anonymity, there is no dearth of work for workers and designers, who are busy making ornaments as demand peaks ahead of the wedding mahurat Sawas this month.
.
.
As per the Hindu tradition, Sawas is considered auspicious and thousands tie the knot that day. The result: Both demand and price of jewellery are skyrocketing, though officially, the strike continues for over a month now.
.
.
"The gold is being sold in the market without the customs duty. The shutters are down, but the workers and artisans at jewellery manufacturing units inside deep streets are working day and night to make up for the wedding demand," Manish Agrawal, a city-based expert said.