Despite intermittent showers during the day, shoppers thronged the bazaar for last minute Deepavali purchase on Saturday.
As a result, all major business centres and pockets including Kottai Mariamman Temple side and East Radha Veedhi. Municipal Office Road, R. S. Road and Main Bazaar was filled with traffic from the forenoon.
Around 800 temporary vendors and hawkers had put up shops on the roadsides. Vehicular movement was hit in almost all the roads till 9 p.m., police said and added that parking of vehicles was made available at the nearby private school grounds.
The pedestrian movement was also thick in the bazaar areas as people purchased fancy goods and home needs, which ranged from plastics to items like umbrella and among others.
Apart from sweet sale, there was also a huge rush at restaurants and TASMAC bars.
The police had deployed over 500 personnel on bandobust duty and special watch towers were erected in the markets. Police said that but for traffic snarls, there were no major untoward incidents on the eve of Deepavali festival.
The SP V Baskaran has appealed to the residents to burst crackers in a safe manner and abide by the court directive, which had ordered to burst crackers only from 6 to 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.. The public should celebrate the festival of lights in a conscious manner and protect the eco-system, he added.
