CHENNAI: The semi-wholesale traders at the Koyambedu market are unable to eke out a living as their shops have been shut for the past six months.
The semi-wholesale market gates are shut and the traders have only been assured by the officials that they will be allowed to open their shops soon. Denial of an alternate site has irked thousands of traders who have now launched a protest inside the market premises.
Initially, the government had planned to open the market phase-wise by first allowing the Koyambedu wholesale vegetable market to function. At that time, the part-time Thirumazhisai market was unable to function due to rains. Even the vegetable prices skyrocketed and it began to pinch the pockets of the common man.
After the wholesale vegetable market was reopened again, only the 200 traders were trading in Thirumazhisai. However, the authorities in Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority have been ignoring the plight of thousands of semi-wholesale vegetable, fruit, and flower traders. "They initially had promised to offer us an alternate site but this never happened," claimed Bhaskar, a semi-wholesale trader.
Interestingly, the officials had been holding talks with the heads of traders union but the semi-wholesale and the retail traders' plight was overlooked. Bhaskar said that after the wholesale market was shifted, the traders have planned to go on strike to open the semi-wholesale market. "We were given assurances that the entire market will open but that doesn't seem to happen. This time we are worried the government may ignore our plight and not reopen the market before the Pooja holidays," he says.
Abdul Khader, secretary of Koyambedu Vegetable Wholesale Merchants Association, said that the decision of the government to combat the pandemic was a welcome move. "Now, the officials should understand the plight of the semi-wholesale traders who are left in the lurch without any income as the shops remain shut.
Official sources indicated that there was a plan to open the entire market but then due to political issues in the state, the dates could not be announced. "It now seems that a section of fruit wholesale traders are okay with the temporary market in Madhavaram and they don't want to shift," said a source.
"We welcome the government move to covid pandemic. Currently, the market, which has 21 gates, is functioning through only one gate. If social distance was an issue, how could it be maintained with the entire trade being done by opening one gate? It will create further complications. If the entire market is allowed to open. The crowd would be split and social distance can be maintained, " said Khader.
It is learnt that while the decision to open the market phase-wise was already taken, officials refused to state why the decision to open the market is being delayed. Meanwhile, a section of traders has launched a stir inside the Koyambedu wholesale market.