2 years on, Koyambedu grain market has few takers

While most shops are unoccupied, patronage is also sparse; traders hope for more awareness

At the Koyambedu market that is usually buzzing with activity throughout the day, there is a nook that hardly anyone ever goes to – the wholesale grain market. Work on the market was completed in 2014 but less than one-fourth of the 492 shops are occupied.

With the inauguration of the logo of the Koyambedu Food Grain Traders Association by Governor K. Rosaiah on Friday evening, traders are looking forward to things picking up at the market. They hope that there will be greater awareness among people of the existence of this facility.

The market was meant to ease congestion at the wholesale market in Kothawalchavadi. However, unlike the wholesale vegetable and fruits markets nearby, patronage has been sparse. The project was executed by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) whose staff said that allotment letters have been sent to all the 492 shop owners.

“Only people from a few areas of the city and traders from some villages in the outskirts know about the new grain market and come here to place orders. In a couple of months, the market should become very busy,” said Arun Junairaj. His family has been running a wholesale store selling red chillies, turmeric and tamarind at Kothawalchavadi for over 60 years. “I was among the first to apply for a shop here and after allotment, was the first to shift here,” he said.

‘Better business sense’

“We were waiting for such an event to take place. Once all the owners occupy the shops and goods arrive in large numbers, the market will be bustling,” said S. Ravishankar, a wholesale dealer of garlic.

He said that for traders like him, it made better business sense to operate from Koyambedu than Kothawalchavadi. “I save on costs incurred on transportation and loading,” he said, adding that he sold garlic for anywhere between Rs. 70 and Rs. 110 a kg while the price in Kothawalchavadi was between Rs. 80 and Rs. 130.

A lorry parking bay has been completed and work is on to build a godown, food court, parking lot for visitors and a bank in a single building, officials added.