Traders want vacant areas in Koyambedu market to be converted into parking space

Panel urged not to allow unloading of goods at these spaces

Space crunch: Although parking space for two vehicles have been allotted to each wholesale trader in Koyambedu market complex, federation say it is not adequate.

The Federation of All Vegetable Traders Associations of KWMC Market has appealed to the Koyambedu Market Management Committee (MMC) to convert vacant spaces on the market premises into parking space and not allow unloading of goods or trade.

Noting that although every licensed wholesale shop in the Koyambedu market was allotted parking space for two heavy vehicles, members said it was not adequate.

In their representation to the Koyambedu MMC and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, the federation said the authorities concerned must not allow unloading of goods or carry out business on vacant space as it violated market regulation rules.

Court directive

This comes in the backdrop of Madras High Court directive allowing interim arrangement for Thanthai Periyar Tomato Traders Association to unload tomatoes on one acre space to control soaring prices till Pongal festival.

M. Thyagarajan, president, Koyambedu Wholesale Tomato Traders Association, said allowing unloading of goods would hit the business of licensed wholesale merchants, who paid taxes to do business in the market. Moreover, the association had not been able to sell tomato at a competitive price as promised to the court, he added.

Members said other merchants might resort to such trade in open spaces. Federation president G.D. Rajasekaran said: “We have made a representation to turn the vacant site into parking spaces or construct more shops. Of the 1,500 licensed vegetable shops in the market, nearly 200 were wholesale shops and the rest belonged to semi-wholesalers.”

Drop in prices

Meanwhile, the price of tomato has dropped to ₹40-₹50 a kg in the wholesale market on Wednesday as the arrivals had increased to 50-60 lorries. Wholesale traders said there might be a dip in the tomato cost by January following fresh harvest.

Similarly, the price of some of the other vegetables such as beans and brinjals had dropped to ₹40-₹50 kg now. They were sold for nearly ₹90-₹100 a kg until recently in the wholesale market. Beans are being procured from other parts such as Ranchi.

At present, the market receives 300 truckloads of vegetables daily. When the number of arrivals touches 350 truckloads, the cost of most vegetables may stabilise around ₹50 a kg, the traders added.