Wholesale grain merchants at Koyambedu plan to go on a fast in a few days to draw the attention of the State government to their problems. Permission to keep their business open on alternate days is one of their main demands.
The Koyambedu market, which emerged as a COVID-19 cluster, was closed on May 5. While vegetables and fruits markets were functioning from alternative spaces, the grain market remained closed.
Inaugurated in 2015, the food grains market has about 500 shops. However, the wholesale merchants said only 240 shops were functioning and the remaining were closed due to various issues, including sale deed documents. On average, about 1,500 customers visit the market daily.
Several merchants were operating from rented spaces. With the market shut for the last two months, they were burdened with high rent.
P. Muthupandian, secretary, Koyambedu Food Grains Market General Traders’ Association, said unlike the other three markets, the grain market was less crowded and had better planned infrastructure.
“We mostly deliver groceries on order basis and have relatively fewer customers visiting the market earlier. We will continue to operate with physical distancing norms if the government reopens the section and allows us to function in batches on alternate days,” he said.
The grain market cannot operate from an alternative space as the shops sold items that were covered under the Goods and Services Tax.
It would be difficult to function from a different billing address. Several representations had been made to the government in this regard, he added.
Other associations belonging to the vegetables and fruits market planned to join the demonstration if the issue was not resolved. They had complaints about inadequate infrastructure in temporary markets, members said.
