Free flow of liquor and increasing incidents of crime at the Koyambedu wholesale market are becoming a serious cause of concern for traders and customers alike.
Spread over 300 acres, the complex has over 3,500 shops in the fruit, flower and vegetables market. It receives nearly one lakh visitors and retail traders daily from different parts of the State. While encroachments and congestion continue to spoil the shopping experience for many, an increasing number of crimes in the market complex causes much apprehension.
A few days ago, the authorities of the CMDA’s Market Management Committee sealed and locked a shop at the fruit market for selling lottery tickets. Lottery is banned in the State. According to the traders, daily-wage labourers were the targets. The sale went on for a week until the authorities took action.
Members of the Koyambedu Merchants Welfare Association said alcohol was also being sold illegally on the premises during early hours whenever the Tasmac outlet at the nearby Brindavan Nagar is closed. Due to this, residents often hesitate to use the rear side of the market through ‘A’ Road.
As alcohol is freely available in the T/G blocks of the fruits market, this has become a nuisance to customers, the members said. Several people use the space of about 30 shops that remain closed for consuming liquor.
According to the police, several cases of pirated CD sales and nuisance caused by alcoholics have been reported from the market. Such incidents often occur in early mornings when the floating population is more.
Though the shops were allotted at a subsidised rate to traders, some of the shops were sub let for a higher rent. However, no checking is being done on such shops. There was a need to fix CCTV cameras to curb such crimes.
