Ahmedabad: As traders across the country observed ‘No UPI Day’ on Friday to protest against the proposed 0.4% merchant discount rate (MDR) on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000, Ahmedabad recorded a mixed response between its western retail belts and traditional trading hubs in the Walled City.In western areas, it was business with UPI as usual. Many shopkeepers said the proposed MDR would have limited impact. “The rule will apply only to payments above Rs 2,000. Our day-to-day sales are mostly below that, so nothing much changes for us, which is why we did not join the protest,” said a Prahladnagar grocery shop.In contrast, in the Walled City, many traders in key markets refused UPI payments, particularly in wholesale and high-volume commodity segments where margins are often tight. Areas including Madhupura grocery market, Relief Road, Gandhi Road and Tankshal reported visible participation, with traders marking the protest by covering UPI display boards with black cloth and by wearing black armbands.Jayendra Tanna, president of the Gujarat Traders’ Federation, said, “In the Walled City, many associations took part, but most retail shops in western Ahmedabad opted out. In other cities, especially in some towns of Saurashtra and North Gujarat, traders took a stronger stand. Overall, the response was mixed, but the message to govt was clear: traders want relief on MDR.”Meghraj Dodwani, president of Shree Ahmedabad Vepari Mahasangathan, said, “Relief Road, Gandhi Road, Tankshal and Madhupura saw traders putting black cloth on UPI boards. Electronics shops, wholesale and retail commodity traders, many garment shops and several medical stores supported the call.”Hiten Shah, president of the Madhupura Association, said the proposed charge could hit high-volume traders harder. “More than 500 retail and wholesale shops in our area chose not to accept UPI on Friday,” he said. “Our business runs on thin margins, and MDR will hurt us. That is why traders are opposing the rule.”Restaurants across Ahmedabad largely continued accepting UPI payments, citing limited exposure to the Rs 2,000 threshold in most routine orders. Dilip Thakkar, co-chapter head of the National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI), said, “In most cases, bills don’t cross Rs 2,000 unless it’s a large group. MDR won’t affect us much, so we continued accepting UPI payments.”
