CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government is likely to reopen the Koyambedu wholesale market in phases after mid-September and initially only vegetable wholesale trade will be allowed, according to official sources.
Sources told The New Indian Express that Deputy Chief Minister O Paneerselvam, who was not available when the traders met Chief Minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami, reviewed the renovation work along with Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority officials and wanted it to be finished in the next two to three weeks.
The fruit and flower market will be opened later. This means trade in the Koyambedu wholesale market is likely to begin from Gate number 7 to Gate number 14.
Similarly, the government is also likely to open the foodgrain market which closed along with the Koyambedu wholesale vegetable, fruit and flower market.
The closure of the market on May 5 after COVID-19 cases were detected has affected the livelihoods of traders. Sources said the temporary market in Thirumazhisai, which was allocated to 240 wholesale traders, would be shut immediately after the vegetable wholesale traders move into the Koyambedu market.
However, retail and semi-wholesale traders have not been allotted any alternate venue to resume their trade for the last four months since retail trade was banned at the Koyambedu wholesale market. "If the government is opening the wholesale market phase-wise why have they ignored the semi-wholesale traders and retail traders? The market was our bread and butter and many of the traders are struggling to earn their living," he said.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Market Management Committee (MMC) has been circulating applications to Koyambedu retail and semi-wholesale traders who want alternate sites to open their shops. A trader told Express that he has filled in the application form and submitted it to the chief administrative officer's office.
A trader told Express that a clearer picture will emerge only after the Deputy Chief Minister's meeting with traders in the evening.