Joint panel to decide reopening of Koyambedu wholesale market

"The Deputy Chief Minister has promised to set up a committee comprising of officials and traders to facilitate the opening of the Koyambedu wholesale market after consulting with the Chief Minister. We think it will be a step towards opening the market," he said after meeting Panneerselvam in this regard at the Secretariat.

He demanded the reopening of the wholesale market complex, including vegetables, fruits and groceries in Koyambedu. As the wholesale market complex for fruits, vegetables, flowers and grain has remained closed since May, 5,000 wholesalers and retailers lost their livelihood, he said.

Though 200 wholesale vegetable shops were functioning from the temporary market at Thirumazhisai, the produce did not often reach residents in sufficient quantities, Vikramaraja said. Due to lack of enough storage in the market, the unsold produce was being wasted, he noted.

Meanwhile, the Koyambedu Food Grains Traders’ Association moved the HC seeking reopening of the food grains market. It argued that though COVID-19 cases were detected among workers and traders at the vegetable market within the sprawling complex, the Corporation authorities closed the shops in the food grain market, too. “While an alternative vegetable market was set up in Thirumazhisai, no such arrangements have been made for the food grain market,” it said. CMDA, however, ruled out possibilities of reopening any portion of the market until the outbreak is contained.