Traders divided over move to shut Koyambedu market for maintenance

Officials say that they would soon send a proposal to the government for the mandatory closure to undertake maintenance and repair. Official sources said deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, during an inspection of the market a couple of months ago, instructed the members of market management committee to shut down the market, one day in a month to take up maintenance, as over 200 tonnes of waste per day on an average were being disposed from the premises. 

Besides this, the market was being misused by anti-social activities and tipplers at night. Further, cattle were feeding on the perishable waste throughout the day around the complex. V R Soundararajan, president, Koyambedu Wholesale Market Traders’ Association and member of market management committee, said, “There is no coordination between traders and CMDA officials. 

Moreover, some traders are also not willing to extend their cooperation for the move.” Traders should understand that undertaking maintenance was a necessity and good for the market, he said and added that a the CMDA should issue an official order announcing a compulsory one-day closure for the market. 

On the other hand one of the traders, who opposes the move, says, “The officials did not carry out maintenance properly, when the facility was shut on an earlier occasion for the same reason. In such a condition, we will not allow the closure of market. Further, it will affect our business.” When contacted, a senior engineer of CMDA, admitted that a group of traders were opposing the one-day closure of the market. 

“However, measures are under way to shut the market once in a month and we will soon hold a meeting with marketing committee members, after which a proposal in this regard will be sent to the government,” the official said.