Last year, gripped by the global meltdown, many big brands downed shutters in the city and big construction projects were stalled even as there was layoff on a large scale.

But now, markets in Rajkot, a city with a population of 11 lakh, seems to have received a fresh boost.

Two big malls have come up in the city within a month. A national apparel brand, a special spa lounge and a second outlet of a leading coffee chain have been inaugurated here.

A multiplex is also ready to raise curtains, while a multinational gaming company was recently launched.

“Our plans for inauguration were delayed by at least 10 months. From possession of property to resource management, every thing was stuck. But global markets are opening up and things seem to falling back in place.We feel the time is right to start,” said Aarti Chug, the Managing Director of Golfway,which opened up at the newly constructed Crystal Mall on Kalawad Road in a tie-up with a Canadian firm.

Crystal Mall is the second fully air-conditioned big mall to come up in the city recently. At the end of August, Reliance also opened up at its retail outlet on the 150-Feet Road where it had purchased the property two years ago.

“The economy has eased up and the city seems to be ready for high-end services,’’ said Kalpana Patel, whose spa lounge was inaugurated last week.