Koyambedu market may be shifted out

Decision likely at today's meeting of stakeholders; aim is to enforce physical distancing

A deserted alley inside the Koyambedu market in Chennai on Monday.

A decision on temporarily shifting the Koyambedu wholesale vegetable and fruits market, as a precautionary measure, is likely to be taken on Tuesday after a second round of talks between officials and traders’ associations.

This comes in the wake of physical distancing norms being flouted at the market. During a meeting with traders' associations on Monday, City Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan said the market will have to be closed if four or more persons in the complex test positive for COVID-19. Traders indulged in retail sale of vegetables and fruits on the pretext of wholesale sales and physical distancing norms were flouted at the market, he added. Moreover, two persons associated with the market had tested positive for COVID-19.

Agriculture Secretary Gagandeep Singh, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority Member Secretary D. Karthikeyan and Chennai Corporation Commissioner G. Prakash were among those who held the meeting to examine the feasibility of shifting the market to Madhavaram and Kilambakkam.

Traders have, however, sought time to decide. Noting that it would be difficult to shift the market immediately, they said retailers should be restricted from operating in the market as retail sales brought in crowds.

According to wholesale traders, a hair salon owner on ‘A’ Road near the market and a lorry driver who transported fruits from Maharashtra had tested positive for COVID-19.

'Split operations'

V.R. Soundararajan, a wholesale merchant, said wholesale traders could be split into groups. Merchants dealing with onions, tomatoes and potatoes alone could use a five-acre space in the market.

Traders noted that COVID-19 samples were yet to be taken in the market. S. Srinivasan, a wholesale fruit merchant, suggested that the government could temporarily shift the market to the nearby private omnibus stand and Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus.

An official of the Chennai Corporation said public health experts had recommended the shifting of the market to other locations. But it was a challenging task. “We are not sure if the traders will agree to the proposal. We do not want traders to start protesting against the move to shift the market. It will lead to scarcity of essential commodities in the city,” he added.

While a senior CMDA official said a decision to shift the wholesale market to three different locations was likely to be taken on Tuesday, civic officials said the CMDA should at least clear encroachments at the market to promote social distancing.