The entry of four-wheelers into the congested road, lack of drinking water, lighting and absence of a security system have become a bane for shoppers as well as traders at the Sunday Market.
The intrusion of four-wheelers into Mahatma Gandhi Road through the connecting lanes often disturbs the working of the market where hundreds of marginal traders set up wayside stalls every Sunday.
The traffic violations, according to traders, are committed by weekend tourists from neighbouring States who are not aware of the existence of the traditional market.
“Tourists who are not aware of the Sunday Market take their vehicle on Mahatma Gandhi Road. Entry of even one four-wheeler, especially on Mahatma Gandhi Road, near J.N. Street turning will disturb the shopping ambience in the area. The absence of security staff will vitiate the atmosphere as everyone present at the spot would don the role of a traffic constable,” said Ramanujam, a resident of T. V. Nagar.
The absence of security staff adds to the problem of law and order at the market, said Iqbal, a trader. Thefts have become common, he said.
“A few weeks ago, two persons on a motorbike tried to steal old utensils from a shop. A complaint was filed at the Odiansalai police station. In the noon and evenings, there will be thousands of people in the market and there will be hardly any policeman. At several places on Mahatma Gandhi Road, street lights function erratically, causing more problem to the shoppers and the traders,” said Mr. Iqbal.
The general secretary of All India Trade Union Congress, K. Sethu Selvam, said the police and the local administration should step in to improve the business environment at the market.
“It involves the livelihood of around 1,000 traders and an equal number of people working with these vendors on Sundays. The market is the most preferred shopping centre for the poor and lower-middle class people. So it is the responsibility of the government to provide facilities for the shoppers and the traders,” he said.
Mr. Selvam demanded facilities to provide potable water to people visiting the market. The police should put closed circuit television cameras on Mahatma Gandhi Road and set up a control room for real-time monitoring. “Based on the monitoring, the police could make announcements through the public address system for crowd control and security. The presence of police will thwart attempts to disturb peace in the area,” he added.
