After a month of relaxed timings coinciding with Ramadhan and a long break thanks to the Eid al Fitr holidays, citizens and residents are returning to Muscat for regular work.
Roads in the capital city, which wore a deserted look during the last few days, witnessed the usual traffic on Saturday evening with people who left for their native places to celebrate Eid with their loved ones.
Arrival terminals at Muscat and Salalah airports reported a heavy rush of people who traveled abroad to spend the holidays. So were the bus terminals of state-owned Mwasalat and private buses and taxi stands.
After 9 days of holidays, Sunday marks the first day back at work and school under regular timings, and many said they have been preparing to slip back into their normal weekday routines.
While hypermarkets saw a substantial rise in the number of customers buying groceries and other essentials required for the week, stationery outlets saw the presence of a good number of parents and children.
Although the first few working days after the season will not be as pleasant as the regular days, both citizens and residents who arrived in the city reminisced about how they celebrated their Eid without many restrictions after two years.
“Eid holidays were especially lovely as I could spend time with my relatives in my hometown. Thanks to easing the restrictions, there were guests from other countries as well. Now it is back to work for me and school for children’’, said Hamed Hadhrami, who works in the Ministry of Labour.This year, many observed Eid al Fitr marked with communal prayers and celebratory gatherings in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Supreme Committee dealing with the Covid-19 situation.
Mohammed Rauf, a teacher whose family lives in Saham, said that family reunions were physical this year, as protocols had changed thanks to the fall in the pandemic cases.
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