Curbs causing crowding at Koyambedu: Vendors

CHENNAI: Gearing up to restart business at Koyambedu market complex from November 16, retail vendors urged authorities to relax the restrictions to prevent further spread of coronavirus infections at the market.

“Currently, there are traffic restrictions in the market, with only one entry and exit being permitted and management of vehicle numbers into the market at a time. There are also timing restrictions for when the market can conduct business, which is causing a lot of crowding at the market at one point of time. Not only is this a safety issue, but it is also causing crowding. There measures can be relaxed moderately to prevent crowding,” said Mani, a retail vendor.

Some vendors have been requesting for the opening up of the market, especially of the tomato market. “Currently, we get about 100 trucks of produce every day, but the current space cannot accommodate them. If the space is reopened, we can do better business as we are jampacked in the current space, and are forced to purchase more expensive stock at a lesser quality due to it,” said Ravichandran, a tomato vendor.

Vendors’ associations have requested for the opening of the market to help smoother business. “We have requested for the opening up of more sections of the market to help facilitate business better. We are expecting a 10 per cent increase in business once the retail vendors come back. So we will need the extra space,” said P Sukumaran, treasurer, Koyambedu Vegetable Merchant’s Association.

The existing safety conditions of enforced social distancing, mask usage, temperature checks and availability of sanitiser at every store would continue, vsay vendors.

A few vendors are looking at employing lesser staff, on a rotational basis, to reduce risks, while others are looking at enforcing social distancing markers at their shops.