Relocation of the common market near the railway station in Ambattur Old Town (OT) to the open playground at Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar Higher Secondary School, a government-aided school on Chennai–Tiruvallur High (CTH) Road, has not gone down well with residents.
They are chaffed that the setting is stark without any provision for shade; and they have suggested that the defunct farmers’ market on CTH Road be reopened temporarily for this purpose, as the farmers’ market provides adequate shade; and the stalls are also neatly arranged.
“At the farmers’ market there are avenue trees,” points out T. Gunaseelan, a long-time resident of Ambattur Old Town (OT). It is also spacious enough for shoppers to practise social distancing, residents add.
Inaugurated on April 9, 2000, the market offered 100 shops from where farmers could sell their produce. When the farmers’ market was established, Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) started operating bus services from farm villages such as Ayapakkam, Kilkondaiyar, Minjur, Thandarai, Melapedu, Andarkuppam and Chembarambakkam near Poonamallee to the market for easy transportation of fresh vegetables, flowers and fruits.
Initially, the market was highly successful as it catered not only to the local residents but also the large industrial workforce employed at manufacturing industries in and around Ambattur Industrial Estate.
However, over the years, due to a variety of factors, including change in market timings from 6 a.m to 9 a.m to 10 a.m to 4 p.m , led to dwindling patronage. And now, the market remains unused for more than a decade.
“The relocation of the market to the school playground is a temporary measure to meet residents needs during the lockdown. Shelters will be created at the playground,” says a Corporation official
