Pushcart vendors hear ‘thank you’ for the first time

For some fruit and vegetable cart vendors like Selvi H, this has been their occupation for as long as they can remember. “I began doing this job since I was eight years old, along with my mother. I didn’t get an education, so this was the only work I could pursue. This is a very strange time – I’ve never seen anything like it,” said the 40-year-old.

“This is the first time customers are happy to see me on the road. They come rushing downstairs to meet me. For the first time, many are thanking me for my work – saying that if it were not for me, they would be stuck,” she added with a small smile.

For Raja Ramakrishnan (54) who began selling fruit and vegetables only a week ago, the shutdown has opened up a new avenue. He used to be a supervisor at a construction site, but has not been employed since the shutdown. “I was going mad with boredom, sitting at home. As I hail from a family of businessmen, I decided this was also another type of business,” he said.

Some others, like the couple Padavata M and Murugan R, have been selling seasonal fruit for many years now. Their jackfruit pushcart located in a residential street in Anna Nagar has many stopping by for a quick bite.

While all have been asked to remain indoors during the shutdown, they are among those braving the threat, usually in the sweltering afternoon heat. Their families worry for them. “We have two sons, both in school. They always tell us to stay safe, ask us to wear masks and keep a distance from the customers,” said Murugan.

Mariamma, a pushcart fruit seller used to have a shop Pulla Avenue, but that was shut down. “I have regular customers in the area, so decided to take a pushcart down these inner roads. Some call and ask if I am coming by that day. We need the money, but we also need to ensure people don’t go hungry.”

Financial strain has also forced these vendors onto the roads and in contact with others. “My son, who is 22, is studying computer science. He is the first in my family to get an education.

I’ve taken loans for his education, but told him that if he wants to study further, he can. For that, we need money, which means we work through this,” said Selvi.

The times are strange, but the city will be fine, said Ramakrishnan with confidence. “We saw the tsunami, then the cyclone and the floods. The people of Tamil Nadu are strong, and we will overcome this, too,” he said.