Shops on Ranganathan Street ordered to be shut

Chennai

According to a Corporation official, the move has been taken after the shops there failed to follow social distancing norms. “Apart from the apathy of shop owners, customers visit the shopping hub in huge numbers, resulting in overcrowding. The decision to shut them down was taken as a preventive measure,” he said.

Initially, a team of Corporation officials visited Ranganathan Street to seal the entire street on Friday. But after the shop owners promised to close the shops from Saturday, the officials returned without sealing the street.

The official warned the shop owners of severe action if they opened the shops from Saturday. “There are more than 150 shops – big and small – functioning on Ranganathan Street. We will seal the shop if found open. We will not allow street vendors in and around Ranganathan Street.”

Since the first day of the lockdown, the Corporation has sealed more than 1,000 shops across the city for violating social distancing norms. As per the order, the shops sealed for violating norms would be allowed to reopen only after three months. However, the civic body permitted several shops to function again after the lockdown restrictions were relaxed.

Another civic body official hinted that shops in other crowded shopping hubs would be directed to close if the shop owners continue to violate restrictions.