Steep hike in entry fee for vehicles at Gandhi Market has brewed discontent among a section of traders.
It is said that a licensee, who had bagged a contract for collecting entry fee in the auction conducted by the Tiruchi Corporation recently, had made an upward revision. The new fee structure has come into effect from April 1. It is alleged that the contractor had increased the fee for various heads by violating conditions of the contract. The entry fee for ordinary vehicle (thattu vandi) has been increased to ₹150 from ₹50. For goods autorickshaws, the fee has been hiked to ₹100 from ₹40. Similarly, the rent (roadside margin fee) for platform traders, who had no permanent shops at the Gandhi Market and sell vegetables on the roadside and public places, has also been increased.
S.P. Babu, district secretary, Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peravai, told reporters that the steep hike had come as a shock to the traders. The volume of sale had already come down drastically for retail traders at Gandhi Market due to mushroom growth of vegetable shops across the city. Under these circumstances, the rise in the entry fee for vehicles would adversely affect traders.
Traders of 10 associations were opposed to the upward revision. Moreover, they were not taken into confidence before hiking fees, he said.
When contacted, Corporation Commissioner N. Ravichandran said the Corporation had fixed maximum fee for various heads. For lorry, the fee had been increased to ₹50 from ₹40. The rent for platform traders had been increased to ₹5 from ₹3. It had not received any complaint on it. However, he had instructed the officials to inquire about it.
