MUSCAT: Not long ago, residents gathered every Friday at Ruwi Highstreet, considered to be Oman’s biggest commercial market. As a thriving market, people especially expatriates from Sohar, Sur and many far-off places used to come on a weekend to meet their friends and shop at the historic commercial hub.

“But things have changed after the pandemic,” said Niyaz Abdukhader, a wholesale textiles dealer. A major part of the high street now wears a desolate look these days while shuttered shops stretch into the distance. “I used to distribute goods to many shops but most of them have closed down now. Many (shops) suffered huge losses during the peak of Covid due to lockdowns and even visitors reduced during the peak of the pandemic,” Niyaz said.

Parts of the souq (market) have begun to return to life. There are still visitors and locals peering at the discounted shops, but it is still nowhere near as busy as it would usually be. “Ruwi used to bustle with shoppers at one time, people used to flock to the street to meet their friends from far places and to even dine,” recalled Mohammed Ansar Salam, a Senior Sales Engineer in Muscat. “When we were in school, this was one happening place. There used to be many one-rial shops across the high street in Ruwi. Now there is hardly any,” Ansar said.  

However, shopkeepers are optimistic about the revival after the Supreme Committee eased Covid restrictions. “Now the situation is getting better after the pandemic and I am sure we will get to see new shops opening in Ruwi and things will get back to normal very soon,” said Rashid Khan, a shopkeeper in Ruwi.  

Meanwhile, Speaking to The Arabian Stories, an official from Muscat Municipality said plans are in place to attract more international visitors and revive the market  “A re-development of the Souq is essential and talks are in place to draw a development map to bring the high street back to its old glory,” he added.