CHENNAI: The entire Koyambedu wholesale market, including fruit, flower and retail trade, is likely to open in the next 10 to 15 days, according to Market Management Committee sources.
Sources told The New Indian Express that the initial plan was to allow the fruit wholesale market to reopen first followed by the flower market. Subsequently, the plan was to open the retail and semi-wholesale trade. But now there could be a change of plan and the entire market could be reopened.
Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peramaippu state president AM Vikramaraja told The New Indian Express that due to the current political situation in the state, the dates for reopening the fruit, flower, semi-wholesale and retail markets could not be announced by officials, adding that he has submitted a memorandum to the government highlighting the plight of traders.
"I am hoping that the officials as well as the government will consider the plight of the traders and reopen the market in the next 10 days," he said.
Bhaskar, a semi-wholesale trader, said that since the government is unlocking everything, they should also allow the market in its entirety. "Retail traders of Koyambedu have been suffering a lot with no income for the last five months since a clampdown was imposed on this in Koyambedu. This would give a fresh lease of life to traders," he said.
Another trader said that he could not pay the EMIs as he has run out of money. "If the market is not opened soon, it will be difficult to feed my family," he said.
While retail traders can sell vegetables to hotels, hostels and canteens, the market will remain out of bounds for the public as the pandemic is yet to be contained, said Vikramaraja.