Residents’ entry into Koyambedu wholesale market banned

8,000 passes issued to workers in the market

Violating norms: Despite restrictions, many vehicles choked the roads near Koyambedu market on Friday.

Chennai Corporation and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority have decided to prevent residents from visiting Koyambedu wholesale market.

At least one lakh visitors, including a number of traders and residents gather in the market every day, increasing the risk of spreading COVID-19. A meeting of senior officials of CMDA, Police and Chennai Corporation was held in Ripon Buildings on Friday in the presence of monitoring officers to contain the spread of COVID-19.

At the meeting, civic officials decided to permit all traders till 7.30 a.m. every day. "Small traders can come till 7.30 a.m. Residents will not be allowed," said CMDA Member Secretary D.Karthikeyan.

Representatives of traders associations, who participated in the meeting, said the civic officials should collect fine from residents who visit the Koyambedu wholesale market. But civic officials rejected the idea . Instead the officials have appealed to residents not to visit Koyambedu wholesale market to prevent crowding. Officials have issued over 8,000 passes for workers in Koyambedu wholesale market. Traders will not be issued passes. They will be identified by the kind of vehicles they use.

The number of visitors to Koyambedu wholesale market is expected to reduce by more than 50% because of the restrictions to entry of residents, said officials. Street vendors and traders, who use tricycles and mini lorries, will be allowed into the market. On Friday, many retail traders complained that the restrictions by the police had caused traffic congestion. Police prevented traders from taking their vehicles inside the market on Friday. Supply of essential commodities was also disrupted in many areas.

Relief for tenants

In another meeting on Friday, Chennai Corporation Commissioner G.Prakash directed revenue officers to prevent landlords from harassing tenants, demanding rent. "The records of Chennai Corporation shows more than 30% of building occupied by tenants," said an official of Chennai Corporation. But estimates by housing and urban development department has found that 49% of residents in the city live in rental accommodations.

The city has 20 lakh households and 12 lakh properties in the property tax net.