Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswamy’s two hours visit to inaugurate the Police Museum on the State Bank Road near the Coimbatore Railway junction has caused much inconvenience to the travelling public, small traders, eateries from early in the morning to afternoon.
Town buses normally parked near the railway station were not allowed till the Chief Minister’s programme was over at around 1 p.m.
Those who were depending on public transport had to walk up to the main gate of the Collectorate to catch a bus.
Buses plying towards Ukkadam, Puliyakulam, and other destinations via the railway junction were diverted.
Small traders, eateries doing busy business during morning hours in the vicinity of the junction, autorickshaws, and taxis had a tough time.
Autorickshaws, and taxis were not allowed to stop on the main roads even to pick their customers. Many train passengers had a tough time getting vehicles to reach their destinations.
An establishment owner on the State Bank Road told The Hindu that this was the first time they faced much inconvenience. Almost all the business establishments, hotels and small business lost their half day business.
This is the first time the police had asked them not to open shops till the function was over. Even during the inauguration of the new buildings of Collectorate and the SP office, there was no such restrictions, he added.
K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary of the Coimbatore Consumer Cause told The Hindu that there was no question of compromising the security of the Chief Minister. The government, however, could have avoided inconvenience to the general public. The Chief Minister should have inaugurated the Police Museum situated on a busy and congested area in the city through video conference, he added.
