CHENNAI'S KOYAMBEDU MARKET SHUT FOR PUBLIC, PARTLY SHIFTED TO ANOTHER PLACE. WILL IT AFFECT VEGETABLE SUPPLY? DETAILS GIVEN!

The government announced that only the Wholesale vegetable market will function at the Koyambedu market complex from today. 

The government officials and representatives from various traders associations took the decision during the second rounds of meeting.  D. Karthikeyan, member secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority was also a part of the meeting. 

“This is a temporary plan, and may only be for a period of two months or even less. The vegetable retail trade will function from the sites allotted by the city corporation and other local bodies, including the bus terminus,” D. Karthikeyan, member secretary told the media. 

He also mentioned that a new schedule for allowing vehicles will be worked out and put in force.

Since the number of retail traders is large, the decision to allow the functioning of wholesale vegetable trade alone was taken. 

According to a report from The Hindu, “In light of the decision, all retail shops will remain shut. About 400-500 wholesale shops will carry on trade till 10 a.m. This is expected to bring down the crowd by 50%. It was also suggested that space would be provided in other areas such as Aminjikarai for retail vegetable trade.”

The Chennai corporation has collected samples from traders in the market in order to test them for COVID-19. One of the mobile units was sent to the market and contact tracing is being done to find affected patients.

According to the officials around 12 people from the market have been tested positive for COVID-19.