TIRUCHI
Both wholesale and retail traders resumed business at the Gandhi Market here on Sunday night after a gap of about six weeks.
In the wake of second wave of COVID-19, the market was closed in the second week of May. The operations were shifted on West Boulevard Road from Kamaraj arch to Marakkadai corner. While wholesale traders carried out business in night, retail traders were asked to transact business from 6 to 10 am.
Though there were no major issues for the traders until the intense lockdown was in force, the retail traders started facing problems after the standalone shops were allowed to reopen their businesses two weeks ago. The owners of hardware, sanitaryware and furniture showrooms on West Boulevard Road had urged the authorities to shift the vegetable traders immediately citing overcrowding, chaos, confusion and congestion on the road.
Consequently, Collector S. Sivarasu permitted the wholesale traders to resume their operations from Sunday night. Tiruchi City Corporation authorities opened the main gates of the market. Soon after the opening of the gates, wholesale traders began their trading as usual. Though the retail trading was not officially allowed, retailers too reopened their shops and started transacting business from Monday morning.
According to sources, a senior official of the Tiruchi Corporation, who visited the market on Sunday night, had told the wholesale traders to wind up the trading within 3 a.m. on Monday. He reportedly asked the retail traders not to reopen their shops as they were not permitted. But the retail traders refused to listen to him and continued their trading during the day. They threatened to stage a protest by dumping the vegetables and fruits on the road if they were not allowed to trade. However, flower traders heeded to the instructions and decided to wait for one more week to resume trade at the Gandhi Market.
Sources said that business was dull on Monday as many people were not aware of the reopening of the market. Business was expected to be on a full scale from Tuesday.
A section of traders have suggested opening all 10 gates of the market so as to ease restrictions on entry and exit of the customers and traders.
M.K. Kamalakannan of the Gandhi Market Viyabarigal Munnetra Sangam said that the customers could quickly go out or gain entry if all gates were opened. Opening of just six gates of the market would restrict free movement of customers and traders, thereby leading to overcrowding. Moreover, there should not be any restriction on the timing of trading, he demanded.
