TIRUPPUR: At least 40% of the 2,000 shops and commercial establishments in Tiruppur city remained shut after workers who went home to cast their votes are yet to return.
Kongu Traders and Shopkeepers Association president K Ramesh told TNIE, “Though we were happy to send our workers to their native places to vote, many of them did not return on Saturday. Most of the workers are from Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Pudukkottai, and Pattukottai Sivaganga Tirunelveli. They have extended their leaves. Some of the workers went for voting aong with their family members. Male workers may find it difficult to convince their spouse to return. Anway, business has been dull for the past three days.”
Vanigar Sangam (Tiruppur) coordinator K Ganeshan said “Workers of furniture, provision shops, and bakeries are from southern districts. The shops remained closed since the Tiruppur district administration and the labour department announced leave on Friday for election. We had no option because most of the families were from far places like Thoothukudi, and Tirunelveli. Since most of them moved along with their family members including children they could not return within the same day. This caused the closure of shops in the city. The male workers will be returning on Monday morning.”
G Raghavan, a trader said, “Not just shops even street hawkers and roadside sellers were missing since Friday. Some shops also remained closed for the past three days. Some departmental stores operated with the help of migrant workers.”
An official from the Tiruppur Administration said, “This is an unusual situation as the polling date fell on Friday. Workers extended their leave. Extra buses have been arranged from the southern districts to enable workers to return to Coimbatore, Tiruppur, and Erode. Around 90 buses were expectd to return from southern districts to Tiruppur’s old bus stand (Central Bus stand), new bus stand and Kovil Vazhi bus stand on Sunday.”